Several individuals aiming to journey to Australia have revealed how an Ibadan-based travel agency allegedly deceived them into paying hefty amounts, totaling millions of naira. The victims, who staged a prolonged protest in Ibadan, accused ‘Christy Manpower,’ a travel agency, of demanding exorbitant fees to facilitate their travel abroad.
During the protest, the victims held up placards with messages like “Save us from the grip of Australian travel agents, we’ve lost fortunes,” “Cancel our Australia plans, refund our money,” and “We’ve been swindled of over N700m by this agency, refund us.”
Silas Oyeniran, speaking on behalf of the victims, pleaded with the government and authorities to aid in retrieving their funds and punish the alleged perpetrators as a deterrent to others.
Oyeniran lamented the dire consequences of the scam, including deaths among victims and financial distress for their families.
Detailing their ordeal, Oyeniran explained, “We sought better opportunities abroad due to the country’s poor economy. After paying N5m each, we were promised visas within three months, only to discover they were fake.”
He further revealed that complaints led to the arrest and subsequent release on bail of one Olagunju, allegedly involved in the scam.
The victims, tired of legal battles, implored the government and authorities to intervene, citing financial ruin and personal suffering.
Another victim, preferring anonymity, disclosed, “We met him late last year, and he enticed us with fake Australian visas, meticulously crafted to deceive immigration checks.”
Source: thenationonlineng.net
