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

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.”

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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