NSCDC rescues 42 people tricked with fake overseas jobs in Calabar
A syndicate lured 42 young men and women with promises of jobs abroad and held them hostage in Calabar. The victims, aged 22 to 36, were rescued by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Cross River State Command. Okarazu Chima revealed that the group operated under the guise of a networking company, tricking people into paying large sums for fake job opportunities. The operation exposed a complex fraud scheme targeting desperate job seekers.
What we know
- The victims were rescued on August 14 and 15, 2026, from a secret five-bedroom facility in Calabar.
- Okarazu Chima said the syndicate forced victims into a pyramid scheme after collecting money for fake job processing.
- The arrested cell leader, Timothy Bayi, was apprehended on the night of August 15.
- Eight of the 42 victims are foreign nationals without valid travel documents.
- Victims were told they would sell jewellery, but no physical products were ever provided; the scheme relied on online visuals.
