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By Emamuzo Iboma
In a collaborative effort to combat cross-border fraud, The Press Society (TPS), a non-governmental organization committed to promoting development and peace, alerted the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to a suspected scam operation targeting Liberian nationals residing in Nigeria. The operation is believed to be a deceptive scheme orchestrated by fellow Liberians, exploiting their own compatriots.
Acting on a formal petition submitted by TPS—following distress calls from concerned community stakeholders—the NIS launched an investigation into the activities of a suspected syndicate. The petition detailed the plight of several victims who had recently fled a camp where they were being coerced into deceiving their family and friends by pretending they were living in Australia, while in reality, they remained in Nigeria.
According to testimonies gathered from the victims, many had been confined indoors for over six months. On select occasions, they were taken to luxurious locations on Lagos Island to take photographs and conduct video calls, aimed at convincing their relatives that they were thriving in Australia.
The victims further disclosed that the perpetrators of the scheme used foreign phone numbers from different countries, making it easier to trick family members into believing the narrative and subsequently solicit funds for purported visa processing to Australia.
Attempts by victims to resist the scheme were often met with intimidation. They were labeled as “rebels” and subjected to a divide-and-rule strategy by the syndicate’s handlers. To avoid suspicion and potential retaliation, many victims pretended to comply—an approach that ultimately enabled them to escape the camp and seek help.
“We were made to pay thousands of dollars—\$3,000 each, in most cases—for visa processing, yet we never left Nigeria. Instead, we were instructed to deceive more Liberians into believing we were already in Australia,” one victim recounted. “Now they’re even trying to convince us to sell certain products, claiming it will help us travel to Europe.”
Another victim, speaking anonymously, added, “They housed us in cramped, refugee-like conditions. We were mandated to report daily to a so-called office, where we were trained to market and sell QNet products, a network marketing platform.”
Following TPS’s petition, the NIS mobilized a tactical team to raid one of the syndicate’s camps in the Agura-Gberigbe community of Ikorodu, Lagos State. During the operation, 28 individuals—including both victims and suspected operators—were apprehended. The NIS also recovered and documented mobile phones, laptops, international passports, and power banks.
The raid, carried out on April 15, 2025, marked a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation. The NIS assured TPS that justice would be pursued, pledging to provide feedback upon conclusion of their inquiries.
However, in a follow-up communication, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ademulegun—accompanied by Deputy Controller Samuel Okafor—stated that initial investigations revealed discrepancies in the victims’ claims.
“According to our findings, the individuals claiming to be victims may not actually be victims,” Mr. Ademulegun said. “Only eight of them were found to be residing in Nigeria illegally. Under the ECOWAS treaty, they are permitted a 90-day stay, and we have asked them to leave once that period expires.”
