A former Nigerian community leader in the United Kingdom, Nurudeen Alowonle — popularly known as the “Oluomo of Derby” or Benjamin Kuti — has been accused of running a skilled worker visa scam that left multiple Nigerians thousands of pounds poorer and at risk of deportation.
The Scheme
Alowonle, who once served as president of a Nigerian community group in the UK, allegedly collected between £2,500 and £9,000 per victim in exchange for Certificates of Sponsorship, CoS, and job placements under the UK’s skilled worker visa route. Victims say the jobs never existed and the CoS documents were fake.
Victim Impact
Several Nigerians who paid for the promised opportunities are now facing severe financial loss. Beyond money, some risk deportation after UK authorities discovered their employment offers were fraudulent.
When victims demanded refunds, reports claim Alowonle refused to repay them. In some cases, he allegedly threatened to report victims to the police for defamation.
Official Disownment
The Nigerian High Commission in London has officially disowned Alowonle, stating it has no affiliation with him and dissociating itself from his actions.
Previous Misconduct
This is not Alowonle’s first controversy. He resigned from his community leadership position in February 2025 following earlier allegations of financial fraud.
The latest accusations have sparked outrage within Nigerian communities in the UK, with calls for victims to report to UK authorities and for tighter checks on visa sponsorship agents.
Investigations into the matter are ongoing.
