EFCC arraigns Port Harcourt doctor over N39.1m visa fraud - Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

EFCC arraigns Port Harcourt doctor over N39.1m visa fraud

Published

on

Dr. Nekabari Dambere Nathan

EFCC arraigns Port Harcourt doctor over N39.1m visa fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a medical doctor, Dr. Nekabari Dambere Nathan, before Justice P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for allegedly defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians of N39.1 million under the guise of securing foreign visas and job placements.

According to a statement issued by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, Dr. Nathan was arraigned alongside his company, Global Horizons Academy Ltd, on a one-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence and advance fee fraud.

The charge reads: “That you, Dr. Nekabari Dambere Nathan and Global Horizons Academy Ltd between 8th April, to 12th December 2023 at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of Thirty-Nine Million, One Hundred and Fifty-Seven Thousand Naira (N39,157,000.00 only), from Justice Toojah Iyieagbu, the Managing Director of Riskout Consults, which was meant for processing of visa for his clients for Canada, Ireland and the United State of America, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.”

READ ALSO:

Dr. Nathan pleaded “not guilty” to the charge. Following his plea, prosecution counsel A. Abubakar requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendant in a correctional centre. However, defence counsel Friday Otanjah informed the court that an application for bail had been filed on medical grounds, urging the court to consider the bail request to enable the defendant stand trial.

Justice Ajoku adjourned the matter to June 25, 2025, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody. The trial was also fixed to commence on November 27, 2025.

EFCC said Dr. Nathan was arrested after a petition alleged that in February 2023, he falsely presented himself as a professional caregiver trainer and travel agent who could secure visas and employment opportunities in Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

The petitioner further claimed that Dr. Nathan approached Riskout Consults and persuaded its students to pay for visa processing, job placement, and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam registration.

According to the EFCC, “The students, the petitioner alleged, transferred money to the tune of N39,157,000.00 (Thirty-nine Million, One Hundred and Fifty-seven Thousand Naira) to the defendant, after which the defendant neither secured the visas nor job placements for the victims. He was further alleged to become incommunicado and frustrated all efforts by the victims to recover their money from him.”

EFCC arraigns Port Harcourt doctor over N39.1m visa fraud

Loading

metro

Elderly Man Flung to Death as Truck Overturns in Lagos

Published

on

Elderly Man Flung to Death as Truck Overturns in Lagos

Elderly Man Flung to Death as Truck Overturns in Lagos

An elderly man has died after being flung out of a moving truck that overturned following a tyre burst around the TREM axis of Gbagada, inward Oshodi, Lagos State.

The fatal accident occurred around midnight on Sunday, November 8, 2026, involving a fully loaded Mercedes-Benz six-tyre truck conveying assorted goods, including sealed bags and newly branded event chairs.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) disclosed the incident in a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq.

According to the agency, preliminary findings indicated that the truck, with registration number ABJ 37 AC, was travelling at considerable speed when one of its front tyres suddenly burst, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

During the ensuing struggle to stabilise the truck, an elderly male passenger seated in the front cabin was thrown out of the vehicle.

He reportedly struck his head against a sharp object, sustaining fatal injuries and dying at the scene.

LASTMA said its Night Rescue Team, which was conducting surveillance along major traffic corridors, promptly mobilised to the accident location, cordoned off the area and evacuated the deceased from the busy carriageway.

The body was subsequently moved into an ambulance operated by the Lagos State Emergency Medical Services to prevent further exposure to approaching motorists and reduce the risk of another accident.

READ ALSO:

Personnel of the Pedro Police Division and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service also participated in the emergency response.

The traffic management agency said its operatives deployed traffic cones and emergency warning signals around the scene to alert approaching motorists and ensure the safe movement of other road users.

However, the overturned truck could not be immediately recovered because of the volume and nature of its cargo.

LASTMA explained that arrangements had to be made to transfer the goods into another empty truck before the accident vehicle could be removed from the road.

Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased, describing the fatality as a painful and avoidable loss.

Bakare-Oki condemned excessive speeding, warning that it reduces drivers’ reaction time, compromises vehicle stability and increases the severity of road accidents, particularly when unexpected mechanical failures occur.

He said the consequences of the crash could potentially have been less severe if the truck had been travelling at a controlled speed, despite the sudden tyre burst.

The LASTMA boss urged operators of heavy-duty vehicles, commercial transporters and other motorists to observe speed limits and conduct regular mechanical inspections before embarking on journeys.

He specifically advised truck operators to pay attention to the condition of their tyres, braking systems and other critical vehicle components to reduce the risk of road crashes.

He also urged drivers to remain composed and apply appropriate vehicle-control techniques when confronted with sudden mechanical failures.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to traffic surveillance, prompt emergency response and collaboration with relevant authorities to protect lives and property across Lagos State.

Elderly Man Flung to Death as Truck Overturns in Lagos

Loading

Continue Reading

metro

Zamfara: Bandits Allegedly Burn 13 Family Members Alive After Locking Them Inside Room

Published

on

Bandits Demand N30m Ransom for Six Abducted Clerics in Zamfara

Zamfara: Bandits Allegedly Burn 13 Family Members Alive After Locking Them Inside Room

 

By Newstrends Correspondent

 

MARADUN, Zamfara State – Tragedy has reportedly struck Gidan Taba community in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State after suspected bandits allegedly killed 13 members of the same family by locking them inside a room and setting their house ablaze.

 

The victims were identified as Sani Ɗanwawo and 12 members of his family, who reportedly died in the inferno during an attack on Saturday night, November 7, 2026.

 

According to a report published by Daily Post on Sunday, November 8, the attackers allegedly confined all 13 occupants inside a room before setting the building on fire, leaving them with no opportunity to escape.

 

The incident was disclosed by Bakatsine, a security and conflict reporter who monitors banditry and other security developments in Nigeria’s North-West region, in a post on X.

 

The reported killing represents another disturbing incident in Zamfara State, which has continued to experience attacks by armed groups, including killings, kidnappings and destruction of property.

 

Maradun Local Government Area and other parts of the state have witnessed repeated security challenges, leaving residents exposed to violence and displacement.

 

However, details surrounding the latest incident, including the identities of all the victims and possible reactions from security agencies, remain unclear.

 

As of the time of filing this report, independent confirmation of the reported 13 deaths from the Zamfara State Police Command or other security authorities had not been established.

 

Zamfara: Bandits Allegedly Burn 13 Family Members Alive After Locking Them Inside Room

Loading

Continue Reading

metro

[ICYMI] Lagos Summons DisCos, Regulators Over Persistent Power Outages, Seeks 24-Hour Electricity

Published

on

Is Nigeria's Electricity Tariff Going Up? FG Finally Breaks Silence

Lagos Summons DisCos, Regulators Over Persistent Power Outages, Seeks 24-Hour Electricity

 

By Newstrends Correspondent

 

The Lagos State Government has summoned electricity regulators, distribution companies (DisCos), power resellers and suppliers to a major energy summit aimed at addressing persistent electricity shortages and finding lasting solutions to the state’s unreliable power supply.

 

The initiative is part of efforts to develop a roadmap towards achieving reliable, round-the-clock electricity across Lagos State, amid growing complaints from residents and businesses over frequent power outages.

 

The Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing ahead of the 2026 Lagos Energy Summit.

 

The summit, themed “Lagos Energy Evolution: Transforming the Future,” is scheduled for November 10 and 11, while a technical tour will take place on November 12 at selected energy infrastructure facilities.

 

Ogunleye said the gathering would bring together critical stakeholders across the electricity value chain to examine structural challenges affecting the sector and develop practical solutions capable of improving electricity supply.

 

He explained that discussions would focus on electricity sector reforms, energy efficiency, renewable energy, metering solutions and alternative sources of power.

 

According to the commissioner, the government intends to move beyond policy declarations and ensure that the summit produces practical outcomes that can improve electricity access and strengthen Lagos’ energy infrastructure.

 

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ibilola Kasumu, said the summit would adopt a different approach from conventional industry gatherings by placing actual problems before experts for possible solutions.

 

She explained that the objective was to bring stakeholders together to identify challenges within the electricity value chain and develop workable strategies for addressing them.

 

Kasumu added that the government hoped to establish a framework for reliable electricity supply that could eventually serve as a model for other states.

 

Ogunleye also disclosed that the Lagos State Government was engaging the Federal Government on issues surrounding their respective regulatory responsibilities and the need to strengthen the state’s control over its electricity infrastructure.

 

The discussions are expected to cover the development of renewable energy, alternative power sources and other initiatives that could reduce dependence on conventional electricity generation.

 

The summit will also showcase clean-energy innovations by young Nigerians, including projects and prototypes developed by secondary school students.

 

The development comes amid persistent complaints by Lagos residents over erratic electricity supply, which has continued to affect households, commercial activities and small businesses across the state.

 

The Lagos government says achieving a more reliable energy system is essential to supporting economic growth, attracting investment and advancing its ambition of building a 24-hour economy.

 

However, residents will be watching closely to see whether the summit produces concrete measures capable of addressing the electricity challenges affecting communities across Lagos.

 

Lagos Summons DisCos, Regulators Over Persistent Power Outages, Seeks 24-Hour Electricity

Loading

Continue Reading

Trending