Its Happened on Thursday, 29 April 2010 01:00
•Arrested by the police
• He has been suspended, says Bishop
ALTHOUGH his primary duty was to be a good shepherd to the flock of Catholic faithful in his church, Rev. Fr. Felix Kunle Afolayan allegedly abandoned the holy responsibility and engaged in visa scam.
And for this, he is telling the police all what he knew after he allegedly fleeced his church members in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, and other unsuspecting members of the public their hard-earned money under the guise of procuring Canadian visas for them.
So far, N36 million has reportedly gone into the pocket of the priest, who allegedly collected N300,000 each from 120 people in various parts of the Fountain of Knowledge.
In a swift reaction to the development, the new Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Felix Ajakaye, said Afolayan had been suspended.
Afolayan, who hails from Igogo-Ekiti, until his suspension last week, was in-charge of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Old Garage, Ado-Ekiti.
According to some of the victims, the Rev. Fr., who floated a youth football club about three years ago in Ilawe-Ekiti, the headquarters of Ekiti South-West Local Government of the state, when he was the priest of a Catholic church in the town, said he used the club as a bait to lure the unsuspecting but adventurous youngsters to part with their money.
A couple, who lamented that they have so far committed a total of N600,000 to the visa “project”, recalled that they fell because Afolayan was well known to the family.
Mr. and Mrs. Yemi Ayeni, who got married a few months ago, said that having known the suspect for the past five years, they had no reason whatsoever to contemplate that he could turn round to defraud them.
Mrs. Ayeni recalled: “Father came to our house sometime in 2009 and said he was going to announce in the church that the Canadian Government has opened its gate for young Nigerians to come and work in that country. He said he was going to start with members of his football club and would extend the opportunity to other members of the public, especially his church members.
“So, he printed a form, which we purchased with N1,000 each. Two weeks after, he sent an SMS round, which read: I’m happy to inform you that your papers have been received in Canada and that your name will be sent to the embassy right away, but you are to pay half of the registration between now and 15th of June.
The organisation said the rest half would be paid over there, but based on past experiences with Nigerians, they changed their mind. The endorser said all you need to pay (in all) is N120, 000 and not $100 again to help us.
But your half is N60,000. I promise you, you are moving to Canada by July by the grace of God. Remember, you are not going to pay for ticket at all. Don’t delay, please...
Her husband, who was more shocked, said: “It is like a dream to me. He kept cooking up lies about why we have been delayed. The failed suicide bomb attempt by Mutallab during last year’s Christmas Day was one excuse Father Afolayan advanced for our not leaving the country early this year because, according to him, there were international travel restrictions across the world and particularly against Nigerians.”
Tony Inijeze, who said he has an HND from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, about four years ago, recounted how a family friend, who along with his wife also fell to the bait of the priest, introduced him to the travel plan.
“The priest said he was going to get Canadian visas for us without appearing in the embassy in what he termed non-appearance. He charged N300,000 and we started sourcing for the money. As I speak with you, I have sunk N280,000 to the project. He even told us that he had arranged where we will be living when we get to Canada and that there are too many jobs for any of us to stay one day without work,” he said.
He said the Ilawe Police Station was used as the point where they obtained attestation for which he paid N5,000 and another N18,000 for other expenses outside the N300,000 charged by the priest.
“He has my international passport and yellow card with him. He said we were going to leave at the end of this month, but he has since gone into hiding, while his mobile phone has been switched off,” Inijeze said.
Inijeze’s mum, Sena Adebiyi, said the pervading unemployment rate in the country made her to embrace the idea of a Canadian trip.
“There are two of them currently with me. They have both graduated but they have no work, so when a family friend came and when a Rev. Father was at the centre of it all, I decided to give it a trial since they are not doing anything at home,” she said.
Another victim, Mr. Lucas Odeyemi, a panel beater, had to sell off all his machines to raise the money.
According to him, he also mobilised money from family members and friends for the failed trip.
But Ajakaye said the Catholic Church was not aware of Afolayan’s supposed Canadian trip with the victims, adding that the church could not have been a platform to take people out of the country.
“He has been suspended because he failed to obey the directive of the church,” Ajakaye said in a telephone interview.
Meanwhile, when the Nigerian Compass spoke with Afolayan early this month, he confirmed that he collected money from the people with the promise to get them the Canadian visas.
He said he had got an appointment with the Embassy of Canada for this month end, pleading that he be given more time to tidy up the arrangement.
But contacted on Monday, he said the matter had been reported to the police.
Also contacted on phone, spokesman of the State Police Command, Mohammed Jimoh, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said Afolayan is being detained with the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Ado-Ekiti.
“He is telling the police what he knows about the alleged fraud,” he added.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
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