The Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, has arraigned Dr. Nekabari Dambere Nathan, a Port Harcourt-based medical doctor, before the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, over alleged visa fraud to the tune of N39,157,000,00.
The doctor was arraigned before Justice P. I. Ajoku, according to a statement by the EFCC, on Thursday.
According to the EFCC statement, Nathan was arraigned alongside his Global Horizons Academy Ltd on a one-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence and advance fee fraud to the tune of N39,157,000.00 (Thirty-nine Million, One Hundred and Fifty-seven Thousand Naira).
EFCC Allegations
Nathan was arrested based on a petitioner’s allegations in February 2023.
The petitioner accused the defendant of making a false representation of himself as a professional trainer in care-giving and a travel agent, capable of securing visas and jobs in Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom for Nigerian applicants.
The petitioner further “alleged that the defendant approached his company, Riskout Consults and convinced his students that he can facilitate their trip to any country of their choice and help enrol them in International English Language Testing System, IELTS exam.“
The petitioner alleged that students transferred money to the tune of N39,157,000.00 (Thirty-nine Million, One Hundred and Fifty-seven Thousand Naira) to the defendant.
The petition alleges the defendant neither secured the visas nor job placements for the victims, adding that the defendant had become incommunicado and frustrated all efforts by the victims to recover their money from him.
The charge reads: “That you, Dr. Nekabari Dambere Nathan and Global Horizons Academy Ltd between 8th April, to 12th December 2023 at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of Thirty-Nine Million, One Hundred and Fifty-Seven Thousand Naira (N39,157,000,00 only), from Justice Toojah lyieagbu, the Managing Director of Riskout Consults, which was meant for processing of visa for his clients for Canada, Ireland and the United State of America, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby Committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.”
What transpired in court
At the court session, the defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge.
- The prosecution counsel, A. Abubakar, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in a correctional center.
- The defence counsel, Friday Otanjah, informed the court of his application for bail of the defendant.
- He prayed that the defendant be granted bail on medical grounds to enable him to stand his trial.
- Justice Ajoku adjourned the matter till June 25, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application and remanded the defendant in EFCC’s custody.
- The judge further adjourned till November 27, 2025, for commencement of the trial.
