The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has arrested 28 individuals in connection with an alleged scam syndicate involving Liberian nationals who were reportedly coerced into deceiving their families into believing they were living in Australia.
The crackdown followed a petition by The Press Society (TPS), a non-governmental organisation focused on development and peace, which alerted the NIS after receiving distress calls from affected members of the Liberian community in Nigeria.
According to TPS, several victims fled a camp where they were allegedly forced to take staged photographs and conduct video calls from exotic locations around Lagos Island to create the false impression that they were living comfortably in Australia. The objective was to convince relatives and friends back home to raise funds for visa processing to Australia — a journey that never materialised.
Victims revealed that for over six months, they were confined indoors, occasionally taken out only to maintain the ruse. They alleged that the scheme’s organisers frequently rotated international phone numbers to support their deception and maximise financial gain from unsuspecting family members.
“We were told to continue deceiving people in Liberia,” one victim said. “They even started introducing new products they claimed could help us travel to Europe.”
Another victim disclosed: “We paid up to $3,000 each and were forced to live in poor conditions, sleeping like refugees. Every day, we were taken to a so-called office and trained to market and sell QNet products, which is a network marketing platform.”
Acting on TPS’s petition, NIS operatives raided one of the camps located in Agura-Gberigbe, Ikorodu, Lagos. During the operation, 28 individuals — including both alleged victims and scheme organisers — were apprehended. Items such as mobile phones, laptops, international passports, and power banks were seized and documented.
Following the arrest on 15 April 2025, the NIS assured TPS that a thorough investigation was underway and promised to keep the NGO informed of developments.
Speaking on behalf of the Service, NIS PRO Mr Ademulegun, accompanied by Deputy Controller Samuel Okafor, clarified the current status of the case.
“Our investigation reveals that the alleged scam victims are not entirely victims. Only eight of them are in Nigeria illegally,” said Ademulegun. “Under the ECOWAS treaty, they are allowed to stay in Nigeria for up to 90 days. We have asked them to leave the country once that period lapses.”
The incident has drawn attention to the growing use of deceptive migration schemes targeting vulnerable individuals across West Africa and the urgent need for stronger cross-border cooperation to address human trafficking and visa fraud.
