By Emmanuel Desire
Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested an alleged serial fraudster, Mrs. Imaobong Cyril Okpong, for her alleged involvement in a series of visa fraud schemes and fake offers of foreign scholarships for non-existent studies abroad.
Okpong, said to be the proprietress of Michael Udonquak Schools, Mbierebe in Akwa Ibom State, was arrested following a petition by a woman (names withheld) who alleged that the suspect defrauded her of the sum of ₦3 million under the guise of securing a university admission for her and also processing Canadian visas for her and her husband.
According to the petitioner, the woman contacted her some time in February 2024 with a supposed opportunity to secure a scholarship and study visa abroad.
She explained that she didn’t make any payment until the proprietress signed an indemnity agreement, which she notarized before making the ₦3 million electronic transfer into her bank account
However, after receiving the payment, Okpong allegedly became unreachable and started rejecting calls on her mobile lines as she completely failed to deliver on her promise and terms of the signed agreement.
The petitioner claimed that the suspect had defrauded many victims, especially one of her friends
“I have a friend who got stranded in China when she got there and realised that there was no scholarship. Some of her victims had travelled abroad with fake documents that left many of them stranded overseas while some others faced deportation with huge financial losses,” the petitioner alleged.
The proprietress is expected to be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
