Alleged Visa Scam: Judge’s Absence Stalls Trial Of Travel Agent, Others

The absence of Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo of the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Jabi, Abuja, has stalled the hearing of the criminal case brought by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) against Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe and a travel agency, Fanzine Educational Consult.

The IGP, on behalf of a United Kingdom-based complainant, Mr Opeyemi Makinde, dragged Aderibigbe and the firm before the court for allegedly giving false information to British government.

But, when the case came up September 22, the judge was said to be indisposed and, therefore, could not sit.

Following the inability of the court to sit, the case was further adjourned to November 19, 2025, for hearing of the motion filed by the IGP.

The IGP had filed a motion seeking an order of the court to allow the complainant, Makinde, testify in the case virtually.

Aderibigbe and the firm were arraigned on a two count charge. They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The accused were said to have been engaged in a visa scam on January 19,2023.

In the charge dated April 9, 2024, Aderibigbe was said to have given false information to the British Embassy, that one Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi was married to one Dolapo Afussat Yusuf.

The police further said in the charge that the false information has led a deportation threat against the said Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi back to Nigeria.

According to the charge sheet, the accused knows that the act was unlawful and thereby
committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 98 Law of Northern Nigeria.

After the charge was read to him, he pleaded not guilty and the presiding judge, Justice Oyeyipo, granted him bail in the sum of N1m.

He was also asked to produce two sureties who must be civil servants and not below grade level 9 in the civil service.

According to the judge, the sureties must deposit their passport photographs at the Registry of the court and must be residents of the FCT.

The two-count charge against the accused persons read, “That you Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe ‘m’, Fanzine Educational Consult of No. 12 Evans Street, Idiroko, Along Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos state, and Miss Dolapo Afussat Yusuf ‘f’ (at large), sometimes in January, 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspired among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Giving false information to a Public servant, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act (1990. CAP 532).

“That you Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe ‘m’, Fanzine Educational Consult of No. 12 Evans Street, Idiroko, Along Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos state, and Miss Dolapo Afussat Yusuf ‘f’ (at large), sometimes in January, 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did give False Information to the British Embassy, that one Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi is married to one Dolapo Afussat Yusuf, the information that has threatened the deportation of the said Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi back to Nigeria, an act you know to be unlawful and thereby
committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 98 Law of Northern Nigeria.”