The police in Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east, say they have begun an investigation into allegations of visa fraud against a travel agency, TMT Travels & Tours Ltd.
The police spokesperson in Imo, Henry Okoye, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, said the Commissioner of Police in Imo, Aboki Danjuma, has ordered the police monitoring unit in the state to “thoroughly” investigate the visa fraud allegations.
The police spokesperson said nine Nigerian passports have been recovered from the agency as part of the investigation.
He said the owner of the travel agency, Ifeanyi Onukwubiri, has been invited for questioning to assist the police in “ascertaining facts” in the matter.
Mr Okoye appealed to Imo residents to remain calm and assured that efforts were ongoing to recover funds paid for visa services as well as any additional documents belonging to affected persons.
Mr Okoye cautioned Nigerians to exercise due diligence when engaging in visa or travel schemes.
“Further details of the investigation will be communicated in due course,” the police spokesperson assured.
Visa fraud allegations
The social media was abuzz on Monday, with some Nigerians accusing TMT Travels & Tours Ltd of engaging in visa fraud.
On Wednesday, a social influencer, Oni Foto, otherwise known as Mr K, shared on his Facebook page, a series of complaints from supposed clients against the travel agency which is headquartered in Owerri, Imo State capital.
In the complaints, some of the clients claimed that the travel agency allegedly received a huge amount of money as payments from them but failed to offer promised services or provide a refund after a long time.
The travel agency, according to some clients, stopped responding to enquiries and requests despite earlier promises to get a work visa for them.
In one of his Facebook posts on the alleged visa fraud, Mr Foto claimed that the travel agency usually “pounces on their unsuspecting prey, the agency collects payment, and the victims’ passports and dumps them in a locker in their office.”
He posted a list of the alleged fraud victims.
The social media influencer advised people to stop all visa transactions with the travel agency immediately.
Travel agency responds
Responding, the TMT Travels and Tours described the allegations as “fake news”.
“To all our clients, friends, partners, and well-wishers who called, visited, messaged, and publicly debunked the fake news spreading online, thank you,” the agency wrote on its Facebook page on 26 November.
The travel agency continued: “Your support reassured us that the truth always stands, and the people who know our work, value what we have built over the years.
“We deeply appreciate your love, loyalty, and confidence in TMT.”
