Commission Seals Visa Support Company Over Poor Services

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed the premises of TLScontact, an organisation that provides visa support services to Nigerian consumers over complaints relating to non-provision of services being paid for.

Director of Surveillance and Investigation, Boladale Adeyinka, during the enforcement exercise in Abuja, revealed that on the 25th of March 2025 based on consumer complaints, the FCCPC served a letter to TLS as a process of amicable resolution of consumer complaints at the commission.

“Rather than receive the summons of the Commission, officers of TLS proceeded not only to assault our officers, but also assaulted uniformed security police officers, who were providing lawful security for the operations of the Commission,” she disclosed.

“Section 18, subsection 1F, pursuant to that provision, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Tunji Bello, directed that the premises be sealed for conducting services that the Commission considers, upon reasonable suspicion, to be inimical to consumer welfare in Nigeria.

“He further directed that they, the Centre Manager, the Country Manager, and the senior officers managing the operations of the Company, (3:23) appear before the Commission on Friday, 20 June 2025, on or before 2 p.m to testify and give evidence on why they will willfully obstruct the investigation processes of the Commission, and why the Commission should not proceed to invoke the provisions of its enactment against such practices.”

Adeyinka further emphasised to the public the implications of refusal to accept the summons by the Commission.

“Section 33, subsection 3 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council Act, stipulates that any person who, without sufficient cause, fails or refuses to appear before the Commission in compliance with a summons, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or fine not exceeding 20 million naira, or both fine and imprisonment, subsection 4 states, and I quote, a person who willfully obstructs, like or interrupts the proceedings of the Commission, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or fine not exceeding 20 million, or both fine and imprisonment,” she added.

Adeyinka stated that while the enforcement exercise was ongoing, consumers still complained about the services offered by TLS, hence the need for them to appear before the commission to explain their operations in Nigeria.

Hauwa Abu