Indian National Arrested In Lagos Over Visa Scam

The Nigeria Police have arrested a
Dubai-based Indian national, Mr
Mohammed Shazul, for allegedly
procuring a Dubai visa using a
Nigerian man’s name without his
consent.

Sources close to Federal Criminal

Intelligence Investigation
Department (FCIID) Annex, Alagbon
Close, Lagos, made the disclosure to
the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on
Thursday.
The source said that operatives from
the FCIID arrested Shazul after a
petition by the Nigerian, Mr
Ayodotun Babalola, to the police
authorities.
It said the Indian, Vice-President of
Fast Logistics Solution Group, an air
cargo company based in Dubai was
arrested at the Murtala Muhammed
International Airport, Lagos on
Monday on arrival from Dubai.
“When the Inspector-General of
Police got the petition dated Aug. 19,
2015, he sent it through the DIG,
FCIID to the “X’’ Squad Annex, Lagos
for investigation.

“The operatives have been on the
trail of the suspect and others
involved in the crime.
“After his arrest at the airport, he
put up a call to the EFCC operatives,
who after speaking with police told
him to follow the operatives to
Alagbon,’’ the source told NAN.
A copy of the petition, made
available to NAN, alleged that the
suspect, the President of the
company, one Al-Ameen Kerala and
others, used his International
Passport data page to obtain visa
without his consent.
The petition indicated that they
allegedly used his name to obtain the
visa and held on to it to prevent him
from travelling to Dubai to transact
his business with other companies.

“I am still being intimidated and my
rights are being abused by depriving
me from travelling to Dubai for
business.
“This has cost me lot of breach of
contract and defamation of character
internationally.
“I am pleading with the police to
help me to retrieve my visa and also
stop them from causing harm to my
personality and my family in
future,’’ the petition said.
Speaking to NAN on the issue, the
petitioner, Babalola, said Al-Ameen
Kerala was his business partner,
adding that the relationship turned
sour when he demanded for 49 per
cent shares in the company.
Babalola said he was shocked when
he attempted to obtain visa to Dubai
but was told that he had earlier
obtained one.
He said that after his investigation;
he was able to trace the visa scam to
one Citadel Toss company.
“I applied for a visa to Dubai only to
discover that my name has been
used to obtain a visa without my
knowledge. The company is Citadel
Toss Company.
“When I contacted Citadel Toss
Company, they told me they have
strict instruction from their client,
(the suspect) not to hand over the
visa to anybody even if the owner
comes until further instruction from
him.
“Their plan was to ensure that I
don’t get visa to Dubai to do my
business.
“I see my visa as my personal
document and on that note I couldn’t
travel again because I was restricted.
“I had to petition the Inspector-
General of Police to complain
officially to seek redress on the
matter,’’ the complainant said.
Babalola said that currently, one of
the directors of the company, who is
also an accomplice, had been
arrested in Lagos.
“He is currently under questioning
by the police. There was a meeting
scheduled for both parties by the
police on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and
was at FCIID, Alagbon Close,’’ he
said.

When contacted, the Police
spokesman at the FCIID Annex, SP
Achibong Asukwor, confirmed the
arrest, saying that the Indian was
released on bail on Monday night
after questioning.
Asukwor said that the police had
begun investigation into the matter.
When NAN encountered the suspect
and his counsel who refused to
mention his name at the EFCC office,
Ikoyi, on Wednesday, they declined
comment on the matter.