The scheduled hearing of the criminal case involving Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe and the travel agency Fanzine Educational Consult has been delayed due to the unavailability of Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo of the High Court of Justice, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Jabi, Abuja.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), representing a complainant based in the United Kingdom, Mr. Opeyemi Makinde, initiated legal proceedings against Aderibigbe and the agency for allegedly submitting false information to the British government.
When the matter was called on September 22, the presiding judge was reportedly unable to attend, resulting in the postponement of the case.
Consequently, the court rescheduled the hearing of the IGP’s motion to November 19, 2025.
The motion filed by the IGP requests the court’s permission for the complainant, Makinde, to provide testimony via virtual means.
Aderibigbe and the travel agency face a two-count charge, to which they have both pleaded not guilty.
The allegations stem from an incident dated January 19, 2023, involving a visa-related fraud.
According to the charge sheet dated April 9, 2024, Aderibigbe is accused of falsely informing the British Embassy that Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi was married to Dolapo Afussat Yusuf.
This misinformation reportedly led to a threat of deportation against Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi back to Nigeria.
The charge asserts that the accused were aware that their actions were illegal, constituting an offense under Section 140 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 98, Laws of Northern Nigeria.
Upon being formally charged, Aderibigbe denied the allegations, and Justice Oyeyipo granted bail set at N1 million.
Additionally, the court mandated that two sureties be provided, both of whom must be civil servants holding a minimum grade level of 9.
The sureties are required to submit their passport photographs to the court registry and must reside within the Federal Capital Territory.
The two-count indictment reads as follows: “That you, Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe, male, of Fanzine Educational Consult, located at No. 12 Evans Street, Idiroko, Along Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State, and Miss Dolapo Afussat Yusuf, female (currently at large), sometime in January 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to commit a felony by providing false information to a public servant, an offense punishable under Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act (1990, CAP 532).”
“Further, that you, Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe, male, of Fanzine Educational Consult, and Miss Dolapo Afussat Yusuf, female (at large), during the same period and jurisdiction, knowingly gave false information to the British Embassy stating that Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi was married to Dolapo Afussat Yusuf. This act has endangered the deportation of Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi to Nigeria, constituting an offense under Section 140 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 98, Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
