A gang used "day return" flights from the Netherlands to carry out up to 20 sham marriages, a court has heard.

The Dutch nationals would arrive in Nottingham, take part in ceremonies and fly home within 24 hours.

Ring leader Nigerian-born Phillips Onikoyi, 34, was jailed for five years after admitting conspiracy to breach immigration law.

His former partner Olajumoke Ikoyi, 27, was convicted of the same charge at Leicester Crown Court.

Five Dutch nationals were all jailed for 18 months for their parts in the scam. Three Nigerians were also sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Onikoyi, formerly of Stanley Road, Nottingham, was jailed at Leicester Crown Court on 19 September 2011. However, his sentencing could only be reported after the conclusion of Ikoyi's trial on Wednesday.
'Aggravating feature'

In sentencing, judge Robert Brown told Onikoyi: "A message needs to go out that behaviour like this will not be tolerated.

"Your case has the aggravating feature that you systematically made trips to Holland to bring people back for sham marriages."

Nigerian nationals Esther Idowu, 32, Isaac Onikoyi, 22, and Olushola Oshingbade, 41, admitted at the same hearing to conspiring to breach immigration law.

Dutch nationals Wensley Quirindongo, 38, Shamazaira Castillo, 27, Ediselle Barrimond, 26, Charlton MaCaay, 30, and Ulrich Toppenberg, 41, admitted the same charge.

The court heard the scam allowed Nigerians to stay in the UK because they married a European with a right of residence, who were all Dutch nationals, many originally came from the Dutch Antilles in the Caribbean.

Andy Ratcliffe, from the UK Border Agency, said: "They were flying over for 24 hours, basically overnight, and then going back to Holland.

"After the wedding they would never come back to the UK."

Twenty suspected marriages took place at St Aiden's Church in Basford, Nottingham.

The UK Border Agency said addresses were raided in Birmingham, Nottingham, London, Devon and Kent in March 2011 as part of the investigation, which was the largest carried out by its immigration team in the East Midlands.

Dutch police also raided addresses in Rotterdam and Tilburg as part of the operation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-16789080

Nigerians again!!, though it doesn't come as a surprise to me

Naija no deh carry last , na wa oo, oh well

What is new. When criminality is mentioned Nigerian know how to represent. keep it up brothers.

who is surprised?, the boys are up to bigger things now

its a normal thing in europe. its survival of the fittest

later father like son

When it comes to African it is widely publicized but lets be frank many Americans and Australian do the same to remain in the u.k.

Naija never carry last. Guy men must survive

Hoodrat:

When it comes to African it is widely publicized but lets be frank many Americans and Australian do the same to remain in the u.k.

Are you sure about that?

executinal:

Naija never carry last. Guy men must survive

The guy dey serve 5yrs prison sentence and u are here saying e no carry last?

All the visas will be cancelled and he will be deported after prison, the only person who will remain in the Uk is the one who holds UK passport.

Na wa for this yoromba people ooo

Very unfortunate.

Despite we have our country our people are forced out to another because of poverty.

The guys were trying to survive.

Unfortunate.

PurestBoy:

Na wa for this yoromba people ooo

Una wan start again be dis,who mention yoromba or efik here. NIGERIAN was jailed Pronto.

@topic
Na rugged survival means wey dey mostly backfire,we can do better naija than cutting corners

Vickivicki:

Una wan start again be dis,who mention yoromba or efik here. NIGERIAN was jailed Pronto.

You're right. But how come we don't see your comment when Igbos are at the receiving end. Just saying.

those who use get rich quick schemes get poor easily!

Truth is everybody does it but nigerians. Do it in such large numbers and in such a clearly organised manner that the red flags go up

A turkey in Nigeria cannot fly abroad and expect to become an eagle in UK. I wonder why people take this issue of living abroad as a do or die affair.

This is no news. It happens everyday all in the name of the "spirit called money".

juman:

Very unfortunate.

Despite we have our country our people are forced out to another because of poverty.

The guys were trying to survive.

Unfortunate.

Its not trying to survive, its greediness, that guy is a UK passport holder, he has a job but prefer organising about 20 fake marriages for money in ONE church. They will now have to look at how he got his own passport. What a fool.

Na wa ooo,guys want make am by fire by force. This is not the best way to success.

All those names have one thing in common, Idowu, Onikoyi, and Olushola. Na Yoruba and Ibo people dey spoil Naija Name abroad, While The Hausa-Fulani dey spoil naija for house abi?, smh

anyomne that condems this guy should just shut up
is it not in nigeria that serial killers are given govt positions after renouncing their various groups
ND militants are busy getting theirs,BH is plotting for theirs all through killing while we are going crazy over boys that ran out of Naija cos of a stupid system,at least they are not planting bombs and kidnapping people over there,na only marriage dem dey help arrange to make the lives of other people better,I would take them anyday over the useless govt,ND militants and BH killers

"condition breaky bonuu yepa" R.I.P anikulapo kuti

anyomne that condems this guy should just shut up
is it not in nigeria that serial killers are given govt positions after renouncing their various groups
ND militants are busy getting theirs,BH is plotting for theirs all through killing while we are going crazy over boys that ran out of Naija cos of a silly system,at least they are not planting bombs and kidnapping people over there,na only marriage dem dey help arrange to make the lives of other people better,I would take them anyday over the useless govt,ND militants and BH killers, 9ice talk,

Yoruba

Wow, that's smart, but still shame

Onikoyi is from Lagos state!

where are all the Lagosians. See ya broda o!

^^^@Mpmp, u forget, he is a Nigerian first before a Lagosian.

nairaland and tribalism. wetin bring yoruba come now.

igbo nor dey commit crime