A journalist recently became a victim of a scam run by Yunusa Yabahanze, an Immigration Officer at the Nigerian Immigration Service Headquarters in Abuja. The journalist sought assistance to renew his 32-page passport and was referred to Yunusa.

The Scam

Yunusa demanded ₦75,000, which the journalist promptly transferred, keeping the receipt on his phone (August 27, 2024). He assured the journalist that the passport would be ready by September 3. However, he later requested an additional ₦70,000 for expedited processing.

Exposing the Fraud

When the release date arrived, Yunusa made excuses for the delay. After visiting the office, the journalist discovered that the payment slips were fraudulent; they showed a woman’s face when checked in the system.

Consequences

Yunusa admitted to the deceit and promised to refund the money but never followed through. The journalist filed a petition with the Immigration Police three months ago, but no action has yet been taken.