Justice D. E. Osiagor handed down the judgment following a guilty plea entered by the defendants during their trial.
Nine Chinese nationals have been convicted and sentenced by the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, to one year imprisonment each for their involvement in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
Justice D. E. Osiagor handed down the judgment following a guilty plea entered by the defendants during their trial.
The convicted individuals are: Li Dong, Deng Wei Qiang, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Zhao Xiao Hui, Lui Hai Rong, Lui Gang, and Du Ji Feng.
The nine Chinese nationals were arrested on December 19, 2024, as part of a wider sting operation dubbed “Eagle Flush Operation”, executed by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The operation led to the apprehension of 792 suspected cryptocurrency investment and romance fraudsters across Lagos.
Following their arrest, the suspects were arraigned in February 2025 on separate one-count charges of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC.
According to court documents, 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 system 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.”
Initially, all nine defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. However, during the court session on June 5, 2025, they changed their plea to “guilty.”
Upon the change of plea, EFCC counsel Nnaemeka Omewa urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly. The defence counsel did not object.
Consequently, Justice Osiagor sentenced each of the Chinese nationals to one year in prison, effective from their date of arrest, December 10, 2024. In addition, each convict is to pay a fine of ₦1 million (One Million Naira).
The court further ordered that upon completing their jail terms, the Comptroller General of Immigration must ensure the convicts are deported to their country of origin within seven days.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of mobile phones, computers, laptops, and routers recovered from the suspects during the raid.
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