Dr. Nekabari Dambere Nathan, a Port Harcourt physician, was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, on Thursday with suspected N39.1 million visa fraud.  

Judge P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, arraigned him and his business, Global Horizons Academy Ltd., on a single count of acquiring money under false pretence.  

The charge alleges that between April and December 2023, Nathan and his company obtained N39,157,000 from Justice Toojah Iyieagbu, Managing Director of Riskout Consults, on the false pretence of obtaining visas for clients to the United States, Canada, and Ireland. 

The EFCC said that this promise was untrue.  Nathan entered a not guilty plea to the accusation.

Defence attorney Friday Otanjah requested release on medical grounds, while prosecution attorney A. Abubakar asked that the defendant be placed under detention.  

In addition to remanding the defendant in EFCC custody, Justice Ajoku postponed the case until June 25, 2025, for the bail hearing, and until November 27, 2025, for the start of the trial.  

Following a petition stating that he deceitfully portrayed himself as a travel agency and care-giving trainer in order to persuade several students to pay him millions of dollars for visa processing and overseas job placements, Nathan was placed under arrest.  

The petitioner asserted that Nathan became unavailable and failed to fulfil his commitments once the money was collected.

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