The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a woman, Joanah Eyere Eyong, and her company, Joanah Eyere Consulting Limited, over an alleged ₦16.7 million visa fraud involving two individuals.
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 bordering on alleged stealing and fraudulent conversion of funds entrusted to them for visa processing.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly collected ₦5.7 million from Ngozi Amanda Okwuchukwu between November 7 and 8, 2023, and ₦11,001,800 from Udogwu Clement Ikechukwu between June 14 and July 29, 2024, under the pretext of processing their visa applications.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants fraudulently converted the funds to their personal use instead of using them for the intended visa processing purposes.
The alleged offences contravene Section 383(1) and are punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all four counts when they were read to them.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, F.B. Orilade, urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility and fix a date for the commencement of trial.
Justice Osiagor subsequently granted the defendants bail in the sum of ₦12 million, with one surety in like sum.
The judge stipulated that the surety must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 15, own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction and be verified by the court registrar.
The defendants were thereafter remanded in a correctional facility pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions.
The court adjourned the case until March 17, 2027, for the commencement of trial.
