Maryam Alkali, the chief executive officer and managing director of Kano-based Maryam Alkali Travel Agency Ltd, promised to refund N1.35 million to George Fredricks, a client, on February 14. She did not pay the money.
Alkali has not told Fredericks, also a Kano resident, why she reneged on her promise six days later.
Before that, she had repeatedly promised to refund the money but never followed through.
Fredricks transferred the N1.35 million to Alkali on April 18, 2024, as part of the payment for a visa package to France. The agreement was that Alkali’s travel agency would help him facilitate the process.
A screenshot of the N1.35 million paid to Maryam Alkali.
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The client told FIJ that he engaged the travel agency’s services in April. He was presented with two options based on his choice: pay N1.8 million for a visa package to France or N2.5 million for Portugal.
“She assured me that it would be processed within five weeks starting from the date of payment,” said Fredericks.
“To verify the legitimacy of the agency, I visited their office, where I met Isah Alkali, the brother of Maryam Alkali, who was overseeing operations in her absence. During our discussion, Isah assured me that they could process any visa, emphasising that his sister had strong connections with multiple embassies.
“Upon preparing for payment, I discovered that the only requirement I could not fulfil was proof of funds (POF). Isah assured me that this would not be an issue and instructed me to pay an additional N50,000, as they would arrange the POF on my behalf.
“On the agreed-upon date, I made a payment of N1,350,000. N1.3 million for the visa processing and N50,000 for the POF arrangement. I was guaranteed that my visa would be processed within five weeks, at which point I would be called for biometric data collection, with no interview required.
“However, after making the payment, I received no further updates. I was never called for biometrics. Whenever I followed up, they repeatedly asked me to be patient and assured me that the process was ongoing.”
Screenshots of chats between the duo of Fredericks and Alkali show that he initially wanted to go for the Portugal option, but he later changed his mind due to financial constraints. So, he opted for the France package.
Between May and June, he would visit the office of the agency at Gandu Layout in Kano and would occasionally send messages to the managing director for updates on his visa.
He also complained about the company’s lack of constant communication to carry him along. For instance, the CEO had told him she would try to “get his appointment” for the visa in June, but it did not happen.
In July, Alkali also told him she was expecting his appointment to pan out that month, but it didn’t.
As days turned to weeks and weeks to months, Fredericks got tired and decided to discontinue the deal. He asked for a refund.
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One of the screenshots showed that he sent his bank details to Alkali on August 1, and the CEO said he would be refunded by the end of the month. In addition to that, his travel documents, especially his passport, would be returned to him.
On September 3, she sent a message, indicating that the refund was delayed because she was out of the country but hinted that his money would be refunded.
In October, Fredericks sent messages to hint that the unprocessed visa and the eventual delayed refund had caused him a lot of problems. In response, the CEO of Maryam Alkali Travel Agency said it was not her fault.
Again, she promised to request his passport and a refund.
“After repeated follow-ups, she promised to refund me, but this promise has not been fulfilled,” said the client.
FIJ understands that Fredricks petitioned the Kano Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on August 12. He was invited to provide additional documents on August 27, which he did.
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The petition to EFCC.
However, the EFCC’s involvement has not produced the desired outcome, as his money has still not been refunded.
A frustrated Fredericks told FIJ that he had to borrow some money to fund the botched visa process.
“I have a pregnant fiancée, and due to the financial setback, I have struggled to cover her medical expenses and overall well-being,” he told FIJ.
FIJ sent an email and a WhatsApp message to Alkali on January 31. She responded to the latter.
FIJ’s message to Maryam Alkali, the CEO of the travel agency.
FIJ’s follow-up message to Maryam Alkali, the CEO of the travel agency, and her response.
Alkali told FIJ that, based on the agreement with the EFCC, her company would pay Frederick’s money on February 14. However, she did not pay and did not communicate with the client.
“She didn’t even call me. She sent her mum to call me, and the mother was making promises which they failed to fulfil as well,” Fredricks said.
Messages between Fredricks and Maryam Alkali’s mother
The post Travel Agency CEO Maryam Alkali Fails to Refund Kano Client’s N1.35m on Valentine’s Day Deadline appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.