The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ekiti State Command, has arraigned a suspect, Abigail Timothy, over an alleged N159m visa scandal.

The NSCDC Public Relations Officer for the command, Tolulope Afolabi, said the suspect was apprehended and arraigned “following allegations of defrauding one Pastor Adewusi Tibatope Samuel and other victims of a total sum of N159,108,364.00.”

Afolabi, in a statement in Ado Ekiti issued at the weekend said the agency decided to charge the matter to court after its investigation.

 “following the conclusion of the preliminary investigation, the matter has been formally charged to court.

 “The case is currently before a competent court of jurisdiction in Ado Ekiti, which gave an order for the remand of the suspect at the Correctional Centre pending the continuation of the trial.

“Ekiti NSCDC will continue to ensure diligent prosecution in line with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with utmost handling of suspects in consonance with the constitution of Nigeria and international best practices,” the CD PRO said.

 Afolabi who gave some insight into the case said the suspect deliberately deceived his clients and abcounded with their money, “The suspect, Abigail Brains Timothy, allegedly deceived Pastor Adewusi by falsely claiming that she had the capacity and connection to procure visas and work permits for 65 persons, whom the pastor introduced to her as his clients.

 “Under this false representation, she induced him to release the aforementioned sum to her for a period which was meant to cover the visa fee and work permit.

“On May 25, 2025, operatives of the NSCDC, Ekiti State Command, acting on a formal complaint and diligent intelligence gathering, arrested the suspect in Benin City after a rigorous manhunt for her, having fled from Lagos and later to Benin, Edo State, where she was tracked and arrested.

“Upon arrest, a thorough investigation was conducted by the NSCDC State Intelligence and Investigation Department. Findings confirmed that the suspect acted with intent to defraud and had no genuine means or intention of fulfilling the visa and employment arrangements she promised,” he stated.

Afolabi reiterated the state command’s commitment to protect lives and property, all critical national assets and infrastructure as well as the prosecution of all forms of economic sabotage crimes like illegal mining, pipeline vandalism, and others, within its mandate.

He expressed the NSCDC’s readiness to settle disputes using the peace and conflict experts, who had been trained for that purpose, between willing members of the public.

The NSCDC state commandant, Mr Toma Enya, advised the public to be cautious of fraudulent visa agents and to report suspicious activities promptly to relevant law enforcement authorities rather than resort to jungle justice and self-help.