EFCC Arraigns Port Harcourt Doctor Over N39 Million Visa Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Port Harcourt-based medical doctor, Nekabari Nathan, for allegedly defrauding a consulting firm of over N39 million under the pretext of securing foreign visas and job placements. The arraignment took place on Thursday, June 19, before Justice Pat Ajoku at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Dr. Nathan was charged alongside his company, Global Horizons Academy Ltd, on one count of obtaining money by false pretence, a violation of Section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.

According to a statement by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the defendant allegedly collected N39,157,000 from Judge Toojah Iyieagbu, Managing Director of Riskout Consults, between April 8 and December 12, 2023. He claimed the money was for securing visas and job placements in Canada, Ireland, and the United States for several clients.

Dr. Nathan pleaded not guilty to the charge. The EFCC’s prosecution counsel, A. Abubakar, requested that the defendant be remanded and the trial date set. Defence counsel Friday Otanjah applied for bail on medical grounds. Justice Ajoku adjourned the hearing on the bail application to June 25 and ordered that Dr. Nathan be remanded in EFCC custody until then. The trial is scheduled to begin on November 27.

The EFCC said Nathan was arrested in February 2023 following a petition accusing him of posing as a certified caregiver trainer and travel agent. He allegedly approached Riskout Consults and offered to help its students travel abroad and register for the IELTS exam. Based on these promises, the students reportedly transferred funds to Nathan, who then failed to deliver the services and became unreachable.