A woman based in Abuja, Nigeria, has accused two UK-based Nigerians, Maureen Badejo and Ramat Adeyemi, of withholding £8,000 following a failed Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) visa arrangement intended to secure her employment in the United Kingdom.
Speaking to the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), the woman, who requested anonymity, said she was introduced to Badejo in 2023 by Adeyemi, a longtime family friend. According to her, Adeyemi assured her that Badejo could assist in facilitating her relocation and securing a caregiving job in the UK.
Badejo reportedly promised to obtain a five-year UK work visa for the woman in exchange for £8,000, which she paid in October 2023. However, after five months with no visa, the situation took a troubling turn.
“Badejo later suggested a switch to a charity visa—another route for caregiving jobs—but it was valid for only one year. I initially agreed, but later declined. That’s when she claimed the visa had already been processed and demanded an additional £5,000, which I didn’t pay,” the woman told FIJ.
After she expressed hesitation, both Badejo and Adeyemi allegedly stopped responding to her messages and began issuing threats. Hoping to recover some value from the situation, she eventually attempted to proceed with the charity visa application. However, the UK Home Office rejected it, citing a fraudulent Certificate of Sponsorship.
Investigating further, the woman contacted the listed sponsor—Olayinka Aderinkola Aderinlola Foundation—only to discover that the organization had no knowledge of her case and had never issued a CoS on her behalf. The foundation later issued a public disclaimer, stating that its details had been used without consent and called on UK authorities to revoke the associated sponsorship licence.
“The first care company Maureen mentioned also denied processing any CoS in my name. The document looked authentic, but they suspected possible internal misconduct. Despite everything, Maureen has refused to return my money,” she added.
When reached by FIJ for comment, Badejo denied involvement, stating, “Please, tell her to go to whoever she paid to. I didn’t receive any payment from her. I have no business with her. Thank you.”
As of the time of reporting, Ramat Adeyemi had not responded to messages seeking her comment.