Four Nigerians said to be part of an organised criminal group that made fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals between 2019 and 2023 have been jailed in the United Kingdom.
The Nigerians who allegedly carried out the enterprise between March 2019 and May 2023 were all sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday.
They were said to have provided over 2000 false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent documentation to help applicants remain in the UK illegally, according to Sky News
The Nigerians were identified as Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54.
The UK Home office said its investigation in the UK and Lagos found more than 2,000 false marriage documents were facilitated by the group, who themselves were Nigerian.
Home Office chief immigration officer Paul Moran said: “This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice.
“As with many gangs we encounter, their sole priority was financial gain. I am delighted that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs who exploit people’s desperation to remain in the UK.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who prey on vulnerable people to make money.”
Onifade, from Gravesend in Kent, and Shodipo, from Manchester, were both found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to provide articles used in fraud. They were jailed for six years and five years respectively.
Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was convicted of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation and sentenced to six years.
Kabir, from London, was found guilty of possession of an identity document with improper intention but was cleared of obtaining leave to remain by deception. He was jailed for nine months.
