The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a visa consultant, Joanah Eyere Eyong, and her company, Joanah Eyere Consulting Limited, over the alleged fraudulent conversion of N16.7m belonging to two clients in Lagos.
The EFCC disclosed this in a statement shared on its official X account, @officialEFCC, on Monday. It said the defendants were arraigned on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on a four-count charge.
According to the commission, the defendants allegedly obtained the funds from Ngozi Amanda Okwuchukwu and Udogwu Clement Ikechukwu under the pretext of processing their visa applications before converting the money for personal use.
The charge alleged that the defendants fraudulently converted N5.7m belonging to Okwuchukwu between November 7 and 8, 2023.
They were also accused of converting N11.001m belonging to Ikechukwu between June 14 and July 29, 2024.
The commission said the alleged acts amounted to stealing under Section 383(1) of the Criminal Code Act, punishable under Section 390.
The charge stated that the funds came into the defendants’ possession “in the course of visa processing application” and were allegedly converted “with intent to use the said funds at your will.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, F.B. Orilade, urged the court to remand them in a correctional facility and fix a date for the commencement of trial.
Justice Osiagor, however, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N12m, with one surety in like sum.
The court directed that the surety must be a civil servant on Grade Level 15, own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction and have the property verified by the registrar.
The defendants were subsequently remanded pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
Visa application processing often involves the submission of sensitive personal documents and payments to consultants or agencies.
Applicants are advised to verify the credibility of service providers, obtain receipts and ensure that payments are properly documented.
The allegations against Eyong and her company remain unproven, as the defendants have pleaded not guilty.
The case was adjourned until March 17, 2027, for the commencement of trial.
