Published 5th Dec, 2023

By Timileyin Akinmoyeje

In August, Adekoya Jubifilai, an Oyo State resident, and nine other people became victims of a fraudulent scheme that was orchestrated by one Kayode Stephen Oyedare, a UK-based Nigerian.

Jubifilai and the other victims had sent Oyedare a total of £68,000 through Peniela Eniayo Akintujoye, a travel agent based in Nigeria, hoping to secure certificates of sponsorship from care homes in the United Kingdom.

Akintujoye, himself a victim of the fraud, was Oyedare’s client and business partner. He later became the legal representative of all the persons that were defrauded by Oyedare.

Oyedare had assured Akintujoye that he could help secure certificates of sponsorship for his clients in different parts of the United Kingdom.

Akintujoye told FIJ he initially had no reason to doubt Oyedare’s sincerity because he once successfully did business with him while he was still in Nigeria.

Acting on trust and the assurances he had received from Oyedare, he advised 10 different people in Nigeria and the UK to pay a total of £68,000 to Oyedare so that the processing of the certificates could begin.

“I had known Kayode Oyedare before he left Nigeria. I knew him as a friend and did some small businesses with him before he left Nigeria. So this was the basis of my trust,” said Akintujoye.

“Acting on his representation and assurances, I gave my clients his accounts to pay into. I gave him money for 10 applications, which summed up to £68,000”.

Akintujoye explained that after payments were made, Oyedare promised that the certificates would be ready after two weeks.

However, he failed to deliver the certificates within the timeframe he promised. The clients subsequently grew impatient and demanded a refund from Akintujoye.

All of Akintujoye’s best efforts in getting the money back only got Oyedare to refund £10,000 out of the £68,000.

EXCHANGE BETWEEN AKINTUJOYE AND OYEDARE INCLUDING EVIDENCE OF PAYMENT Download

“Unfortunately, and perhaps unsurprising to him as he knew what he set out to do from the outset, he couldn’t secure a single certificate,” said Akintujoye.

“When I asked him, he claimed the monies were with the care homes. But after a reasonable time and nothing was forthcoming, I demanded that he should produce evidence of the payments he claimed he made to the said care homes.

“I also requested for refund of the monies to the client as is the custom in this business. However, he has refused to do so.

“I also requested that he should put me on a call with the said care homes so I could speak to them personally, but he blatantly declined. It was at this point that it started becoming clear that he didn’t pay the monies to the care homes. He at least showed no evidence that he did.

“I must note that there was a refund of about £10,000 in all. But that’s more than two months now. For the past two months, £58,000 has been stuck with this guy despite all our pleas.”

REPUTATION ON THE LINE

By sending out Oyedare’s account number to his clients, Akintujoye had put his reputation on the line. Now, he has continued to suffer a backlash for the action.

Despite communicating with the clients every step of the way, Akintujoye told FIJ that he has found it difficult managing the pressure of refund requests.

“Some of those who paid the money are on the verge of deportation because they needed to renew their visas and that was all the money they had. Because of the consistent refund requests and the circumstances of my clients, I gave them his private line,” he said.

“I gave many of them his private line, they reached out and begged and begged. He just keeps saying he’ll sort it. For two months, no single Kobo has come from Oyedare and this simply suggests that he has no intention to refund the money.

“Where did he keep all the money? He has not been able to show where he kept them or any evidence that he paid the money to those he claimed he was in partnership with.

“It was while we were making efforts to take legal actions against him that we came across three other Nigerians who are based in Bradford.

“They posted his picture in a small WhatsApp group saying he duped them also. Three of them paid £4,000 each to him. He hasn’t refunded them and has stopped taking their calls too.”

FIJ’s interview with two other victims confirmed Akintujoye’s distress over the mounting pressures. The victims also explained why they have had to put pressure on Akintujoye, saying Oyedare’s actions had impacted their individual lives adversely.

‘I WILL HOLD AKINTUJOYE ACCOUNTABLE’

Jubifilai, who owns an automobile business in Ibadan had paid £8000 to Oyedare through Akintujoye’s recommendation, said he had contracted Akintujoye, not Oyedare, and that he would hold Akintujoye accountable for any loss.

“I don’t know any Kayode Oyedare,” the Ibadan-based businessman said. My business is with Peniela Akintujoye. He told me where to send money to. He is the one I know and the one I can ask. If I am holding anybody accountable, it’s him,” said Jubifilai.

“The person that recommended him is my in-law. According to my in-law, tso I trusted him naturally. It’s only him I know and he is the one I can ask.”

AT THE RISK OF LOSING SCHOLARSHIP

Mopeloluwa Famuyiwa, another victim, is more worried about losing her scholarship in the UK. Famuyiwa had paid £4,500 to get a certificate of sponsorship.

By her initial estimation, the certificate would have made it in time for her to resume her new school in the UK.

Famuyiwa also told FIJ that she is now very worried because of the uncertainties trailing the refund.

To her, timeliness is as important to keep her hopes of schooling alive.

“I have sent the money since the end of August. Peniela had told us what happened and there is honestly no one to face but him. I told him that the delay was already affecting my mental health. I also told him to help me look for it. Thank God my money is not that much,” Famuyiwa said.

“Just because of my mental health. I am also worried about my studentship offer. I can go in for that if my money is refunded. I have waited until the end of November, according to what the proxy promised me. I need to pay my fee and figure out the next step for my school offer.

“My issue is not just the refund, it’s the delay too. It’s the real problem I have right now. As I am talking to you, I am on a sick bed. I am sick partly because of this issue. It is very worrying.”

OYEDARE HAS BEEN PERSISTENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Akintujoye expressed worries about Oyedare’s unresponsiveness. He added that Oyedare had persistently ignored messages, pleas and attempts at a resolution by him and the other victims.

“Refunds don’t usually exceed a week or two to be processed. For some of the clients, he has stopped picking their calls. He has also stopped responding to chats. That is what I am more worried about,” said Akintujoye.

“Because of this, we’ve petitioned Interpol, EFCC, UK police, the University of Lincoln, his former school, CAN College in Canada, the school he recently secured an admission into, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Agency, and a few others.”

FIJ made several phone calls to the two phone lines owned by Oyedare between November 29 and December 1, but they were not answered. WhatsApp messages sent to him had also not been responded to at press time.

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