The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan Zonal Directorate, has arraigned three individuals before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over an alleged N23.4 million Canadian visa fraud.
The defendants — Emmanuel Serah Motunrayo, Awotunde Olugbenga and Idowu Olugbemi Sunday — were arraigned in separate proceedings before Justice Olusola Adetujoye.
Motunrayo and Olugbenga were arraigned on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, on a 47-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering of false documents and obtaining money by false pretence involving N23,404,600.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly presented themselves as travel and immigration agents based in Abuja and promised their victims, Oluwatobi Adeoluwa Iyanda and Oyewale Tunji Bello, that they could secure Canadian visas and facilitate other travel arrangements.
The commission alleged that the pair subsequently collected N12,368,100 from Iyanda and N11,036,500 from Bello before allegedly failing to fulfil their promises.
One of the charges alleged that Motunrayo and Olugbenga obtained N527,000 from Iyanda in March 2025 after falsely claiming that they would secure a valid Canadian visa and flight ticket for him.
The EFCC also accused the defendants of forging a Canadian visa dated June 20, 2025, bearing Travel Document No. B011745448 in Iyanda’s name and purportedly issued by the Canadian government.
Another count alleged that they fraudulently uttered a purported Canadian visa dated July 6, 2025, bearing Travel Document No. B50125702 in the name of Bello.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, Mohammed Abideen, asked the court to set a trial date and remand the defendants in a correctional centre.
Their counsel, Jimoh Wasiu, informed the court that bail applications had been filed and urged the court to admit his clients to bail pending the determination of the case.
Justice Adetujoye adjourned the matter until August 26, 2026, for hearing of the bail applications and ordered that both defendants be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.
In a separate case, the EFCC had on Monday, August 17, 2026, arraigned Idowu Olugbemi Sunday before Justice Adetujoye over an alleged N6.65 million Canadian visa scam.
Sunday was charged with four counts bordering on forgery, uttering of documents and obtaining money by false pretence.
The commission alleged that between June 2025 and January 2026, Sunday obtained N6.65 million from Okanlawon Tunji Ajao after falsely claiming that he could secure Canadian visas for Ajao and his family.
The first count alleged that the defendant obtained the money with intent to defraud by making a representation he knew to be false.
Sunday pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
EFCC prosecution counsel, Lanre Suleiman, subsequently asked the court to remand the defendant and set a date for trial.
Defence counsel, Tiwalade Shittu, informed the court that a bail application had been filed and urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms.
Justice Adetujoye adjourned the case until August 26, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that Sunday be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.
