A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced nine Chinese nationals to one year in prison each for their involvement in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a statement released Tuesday via X, revealed the convicts as Li Dong, Deng Wei Qiang, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Zhao Xiao Hui, Lui Hai Rong, Lui Gang, and Du Ji Feng.
According to the anti-graft agency, the convicts were among 792 suspects arrested on December 19, 2024, during a major operation targeting cryptocurrency investment and romance scams.
The EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 had arraigned the suspects in February 2025 on separate one-count charges of 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 a 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.”
The defendants who initially pleaded not guilty changed their plea to guilty during proceedings on June 5, 2025.
Following the plea change, prosecution counsel Nnaemeka Omewa urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants. The request was not opposed by defence counsel.
Justice Osiagor subsequently handed each defendant a one-year jail term, effective from their arrest date of December 10, 2024. In addition, each convict was fined N1m.
The court also directed the Comptroller General of Immigration to ensure the repatriation of the convicts to China within seven days of completing their sentences.
