Justice D. E. Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced nine Chinese nationals to one year imprisonment each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
The conviction follows a major sting operation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which led to their arrest.
According to a statement released on Tuesday via X by the EFCC, the convicts—Li Dong, Deng Wei Qiang, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Zhao Xiao Hui, Lui Hai Rong, Lui Gang, and Du Ji Feng—were part of a syndicate of 792 suspected cryptocurrency investment and romance fraudsters apprehended on December 19, 2024.
The EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 arraigned the nine individuals in February 2025 on separate one-count charges bordering on cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
The charge read: “That you, Li Dong, Deng Wei Qiang, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Zhao Xiao Hui, Lui Hai Rong, Lui Gang, and Du Ji Feng, sometime in December 2024, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: cause to be accessed computer systems used for the purpose of destabilising and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1)(b) and punishable under Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”
The defendants, who initially pleaded not guilty, reversed their pleas to guilty during a court session held on June 5, 2025.
Prosecution counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly. The defence counsel did not oppose the submission.
Justice Osiagor subsequently sentenced each defendant to one year in prison, effective from their arrest date of December 10, 2024, and imposed a fine of ₦1,000,000 on each.
The court further ordered that the convicts be repatriated to China within seven days of completing their sentences, as directed to the Comptroller General of Immigration.
Additionally, mobile phones, computers, laptops, and routers seized during the EFCC’s “Eagle Flush Operation” were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.
