A group of Nigerians living in the UK recently protested in London against the increasing Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) scams. These scams have left many victims struggling, with some losing thousands of pounds.
The protest took place at Marsham Street, in front of the UK Home Office. It was led by Christiana Olabisi, also known as Ferrari, who urged victims to come forward and expose fraudsters.
Using a megaphone, she called out those involved in the scam, telling victims not to remain silent. She warned that keeping quiet would only allow scammers to continue deceiving more people.
Many victims came forward to share their stories. The CoS system is meant to allow UK-licensed companies to sponsor skilled foreign workers. However, some agents and businesses have been misusing it by charging huge amounts for fake sponsorships.
Some heartbreaking cases include:
- A man said his friend lost £15,000 to an agent who promised a CoS for his family, only to end up stranded in Manchester.
- Ehizojie Joy, who has been in the UK for two years, paid £10,000 but only managed to get 20-hour shifts from a different employer.
- Another victim lost £12,000 and could no longer reach the company after paying.
- Musa Eunice, a content creator, shared that her cousin lost £20,000 to scammers.
Many victims have been left without jobs and now rely on food banks to survive.
Reports of CoS fraud have been rising. Investigations by Sky News (2023) and the Daily Mail (2024) have exposed fraudulent companies taking advantage of immigrants.
One shocking case involved a Baptist minister caught on camera charging £9,000 for a job offer in three days. Another migrant paid £6,000 in cash to a company in Northwest England but never got a sponsorship.
During the protest, demonstrators displayed a banner listing 30 individuals accused of scamming immigrants. One of them, Mojisola, denied the allegations, saying she had taken legal action to clear her name.
“The claims against me on social media are false. I have already started legal action and won’t be making further comments,” she said.
NiDCOM, an organization that supports Nigerians living abroad, urged victims to take legal action.
“Visa scams are a serious issue,” said NiDCOM spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.
He advised protesters to remain law-abiding while making their complaints known.
The UK Home Office has not yet responded to the protest or confirmed any investigations into these scams.
