Nigerians living in the United Kingdom have protested against the increasing cases of Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) scams.
A group of UK-based Nigerians gathered on Marsham Street in London on Thursday to demonstrate against fraudulent schemes that have left many victims stranded.
A live video on TikTok showed a woman, Christiana Olabisi, also known as Ferrari, using a megaphone to call on victims to join the protest.
She said, “No more scamming. Enough is enough. Whether you like it or not, all of you are going to get reported.
“We are here waiting for those of you who still want to join. Don’t let anyone scare you with deportation. If someone has taken money from you, now is the time to speak up. Tomorrow may be too late.
“A group of people are collecting huge sums of money from newcomers. We are here to inform the Home Office about what is going on. They don’t even know how much is being collected. We are going to expose you.”
According to an e-flier shared on X, which was turned into a banner at the protest, 30 suspects were identified with their photos.
The flier, titled Say No to UK CoS Scam, read, Faces of people scamming others out of thousands of pounds for CoS in the UK.
Speaking with reporters, Olabisi said about 10 people attended the protest in front of the UK Home Office.
“One of the officials later told us to submit a formal letter to address our grievances,” she added.
VICTIMS SHARE ORDEALS
The Certificate of Sponsorship is a visa scheme designed by the UK government for licensed organisations to hire overseas workers. CoS is supposed to be free.
However, many desperate foreign workers have fallen victim to fraudulent agents and companies demanding large sums of money in exchange for sponsorship.
Many immigrants who left stable jobs have found themselves stranded in the UK with no employment, relying on food banks after losing millions of naira.
During the protest, hundreds of UK residents joined the TikTok livestream to support the cause.
A caller recounted how a fraudster scammed his friend out of £15,000.
“My friend, his wife, and two children paid £15,000 to a guy in the UK for a Certificate of Sponsorship. I warned them, but they didn’t listen.
“When they arrived in Manchester, they paid even more money to another person for the same CoS. But nothing came out of it,” he said.
A woman, Ehizojie Joy, said, “I have been here for two years, yet no shifts from my employer after paying £10,000. I only manage 20-hour shifts from another employer.”
Another victim said, “I paid £12,000, and now the company has stopped taking my calls.”
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.
More victims shared similar stories:
- Juicy.cake1: “I got duped £3,000. The person who scammed me is on the list.”
- Eddyking71: “They scammed me out of £11,000.”
- Sovereign_ruler: “My mom is heartbroken after being scammed out of her hard-earned money.”
In a TikTok broadcast, another user, Rita Onyekweli (@rita4delta), spoke about the devastating impact of these scams.
“A lot of people are in my DMs, crying. These scammers prey on vulnerabilities and take thousands of pounds from people.
“Some victims sold their properties or borrowed heavily just to pay, only to be scammed. They charge £12,000 to £20,000, and when victims arrive in the UK, there is no job for them. Some even get their visas denied because they were given fake CoS.
“Why are Africans like this? If you don’t have a CoS, why take someone’s money? It is disheartening!”
CoS scams are rampant in the UK, with many immigrants falling victim.
In August 2023, Sky News investigated how many Africans were exploited by fraudulent companies. Some victims, speaking anonymously, said they relied on food banks to survive.
One said, “A lot of people are being scammed and deceived daily that there are jobs in the UK.”
In 2024, Daily Mail investigated a Baptist minister who was arrested after admitting on camera to charging £9,000 to arrange a job in three days.
One migrant paid £6,000 for a CoS at a meeting in an office in northwest England but never received the sponsorship.
SUSPECT DENIES ALLEGATION
One of the individuals whose photos were displayed on the protest poster, Mojisola, denied the allegations.
She stated that she had already taken legal action to clear her name.
“The allegations made against me on social media are completely false.
“I have commenced legal action, and as this matter is now before the court, I will not be making any further comments at this time,” she said.
NIDCOM REACTS
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said it was unaware of the protest but acknowledged that visa scams were a serious concern.
NiDCOM’s spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, advised victims to seek legal redress.
“My advice is that they should seek legal redress. They should also tread cautiously as they protest. They should not take the law into their own hands but remain law-abiding while registering their displeasure.”
The UK Home Office has yet to respond to enquiries on the protest.
