Operatives of the Police Special Fraud Unit have arrested 17 persons over visa fraud.
Among the suspects is an American-based Nigerian couple who posed as parents of a teenager whom they allegedly wanted to traffic to the United States of America.
The arrests, according to the the unit, followed petitions from the United States Consulate General alerting it on attempts by desperate Nigerians, who present false documents in order to be granted visa.
So far, 11 petitions, as disclosed by the unit, have been received from the US Consulate-General this month alone.
The suspects, during interrogation, were discovered to have used pseudo-names in their applications.
The unitโs image maker, Ngozi Isintume-Agu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said: โOne of the petitions dated July 9, 2014, alleged that one Adegbola Abiodun Esther with date of birth of December 31, 1988, appeared at US Consulate-Generalโs office for non-immigrant Visa interview with forged Canadian visa, Turkish visa, and Angolan visa with entry and exit stamp, claiming to have visited the said countries.
โBut during investigation, it was revealed that the said visas were forged by her boyfriend, one Oloni Olufemi Olawale, to fraudulently obtain the United States visa and that she paid him N100,000.
โAlso, the petitioner alleged that on July 10, 2014, one Akinlade Olugbenga with Passport No. A0573775 appeared for a US immigrant visa interview with fake name โ Awoleye Oluwamuyiwa Tope with date of birth, 01/01/1982. But on interrogation, the suspect was discovered to have fraudulently appeared at the US Embassy to steal the identity of the real winner of the diversity visa lottery.โ
