Nigerians residing in the United Kingdom have staged a protest against the increasing cases of Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) scams, which have left many victims stranded after paying thousands of pounds to fraudulent agents and companies.

The demonstration, which took place on Marsham Street in London on Thursday, saw affected individuals calling for justice and stricter regulations to curb the scam.

In a live-streamed video on TikTok, one of the protest organizers, Christiana Olabisi, also known as Ferrari, used a megaphone to rally victims and expose those behind the fraudulent schemes.

“No more scamming. Enough is enough. Whether you like it or not, all of you are going to get reported,” she declared.

“We are here waiting for those who still want to join the protest. Don’t let anybody scare you. This is a country where you can speak up. Don’t let anyone intimidate you with deportation. If anyone has collected money from you, this is the time to speak up. Tomorrow may be too late.”

The protesters displayed a banner featuring the faces of 30 individuals allegedly involved in CoS scams, with the message: ‘Say No to UK CoS Scam—Faces of people scamming others with thousands of pounds for CoS in the UK.’

Olabisi told journalists that about ten protesters gathered in front of the UK Home Office, where an official advised them to submit a formal petition for their grievances to be addressed.

The Certificate of Sponsorship is a visa scheme that allows licensed UK organizations to hire foreign workers. While CoS should be free, many job seekers from overseas have fallen prey to fraudulent agents demanding exorbitant fees in exchange for sponsorship.

Several victims recounted their experiences, revealing the devastating impact of the scam.

One protester, who called into the TikTok live session, narrated how a fraudster duped his friend out of £15,000.

“My friend, along with his wife and two children, paid a whopping £15,000 to a guy in the UK for a Certificate of Sponsorship. I warned them not to, but they didn’t listen. When they got to Manchester, they paid even more money to another person for the same CoS. But nothing came out of it,” he said.

Another victim, Ehizojie Joy, lamented how she had struggled for two years after being scammed.

“I have been here for two years, yet no shifts from my employer after paying £10,000. I have only been managing 20-hour shifts from another employer,” she said.

A content creator, Musa Eunice, shared how her cousin was scammed out of £20,000.

“Na £20,000 they collected from my cousin. Wicked people,” she wrote.

Other victims reported similar losses:

  • “I paid £12,000, and now the company has stopped taking my calls.”
  • “Since I arrived in the UK, I have had no work. I have been struggling financially after paying £12,000 in debt for the CoS.”
  • “I was scammed out of £8,500. Please, I need help recovering my money.”

A TikToker, Rita Onyekweli (@rita4delta), highlighted the widespread devastation caused by the scam.

“These scammers prey on people’s vulnerabilities and take thousands of pounds from them. Some sold their properties, while others borrowed heavily just to raise the money, only to be scammed.

“These people charge between £12,000 to £20,000, but when the victims arrive in the UK, there is no job for them. Some even get their visas denied because they were given fake CoS.”

The CoS scam has been a growing issue, with multiple investigations exposing the fraudulent network.

  • August 2023 (Sky News Investigation): The report revealed how many African migrants were tricked into paying large sums for fake job offers, leaving them stranded in the UK.
  • 2024 (DailyMail Investigation): A Baptist minister was caught on camera admitting to charging £9,000 to arrange a job within three days. A migrant testified that he paid £6,000 in cash for a CoS but never received sponsorship.

One of the individuals whose pictures appeared on the protest banner, Mojisola, denied any involvement in CoS fraud.

“The allegations made against me on social media are completely false. I have taken legal action against my accuser at the King’s Bench Division of the Royal Courts of Justice in London,” she told Sunday PUNCH.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) acknowledged the rising issue of visa scams but stated that it was unaware of the London protest.

NiDCOM spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, advised affected individuals to pursue legal action.

“They should tread cautiously as they protest and should not take the law into their own hands. They should remain law-abiding even as they register their displeasure,” he said.

As of press time, the UK Home Office had not responded to inquiries regarding the protest.

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