A female Nigerian student, Lola Akinlade, is facing deportation from Canada after it was discovered that she allegedly used a fake acceptance letter to secure a study visa and work permit.
Akinlade, who graduated with a diploma in Social Services from Nova Scotia Community College in 2019, told CBC News she was unaware the letter provided by an agent for the University of Regina in 2016 was fraudulent.
The revelation came weeks before her graduation.
“I was devastated. That was the beginning of my trauma,” she said.
Akinlade said she contacted the IRCC to plead her case, arguing she was a victim of a “rogue agent.”
Despite her pleas, the IRCC determined she knew the document was fake.
The mother of two now faces the prospect of leaving Canada with her husband and older son, while their younger child, a Canadian citizen, remains without medical coverage due to their uncertain status.
“We’ve been surviving on our savings, and I don’t know how long we can continue doing that,” Akinlade said. “It’s really, really hard.”
The agent who provided the fake letter, Babatunde Isiaq Adegoke, admitted to supplying the document but blamed a third-party company.
Akinlade’s journey to Canada began in 2015 when she met an immigration consultant claiming to specialize in student visas.
The agent, Adegoke, allegedly secured her a study permit, plane ticket, and the fraudulent acceptance letter from the University of Regina.
However, upon arriving in Canada, Akinlade was informed there were no available spaces at the university.
She subsequently enrolled at Nova Scotia Community College. It wasn’t until two years later that she discovered the fake acceptance letter.
The IRCC has since revoked Akinlade’s study permit and denied her subsequent applications for a postgraduate work permit and temporary resident permit.
Her husband and older son, who joined her in 2018, have also lost their temporary resident status.
The family now faces the daunting prospect of leaving Canada, a country where they have built a life and where their youngest child was born.