Justice D. E. Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced nine Chinese nationals to one year imprisonment each for offences bordering on cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
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 found guilty of being part of a syndicate involved in cryptocurrency investment and romance scams.
They were among 792 suspects arrested on December 19, 2024, during a massive sting operation code-named “Eagle Flush Operation” carried out by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos.
The EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 later arraigned the suspects on separate one-count charges in February 2025. The charge against them stated that they “conspired amongst themselves 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,” an offence contrary to Section 27 (1)(b) and punishable under Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015.
Initially, the defendants pleaded not guilty. However, during a court session held on Thursday, June 5, 2025, they changed their plea to guilty.
Following their change of plea, EFCC counsel Nnaemeka Omewa urged the court to convict and sentence the accused accordingly. The defence counsel raised no objections.
Justice Osiagor, thereafter, sentenced each defendant to one year in prison, starting from the date of their arrest on December 19, 2024.
He also imposed a fine of ₦1 million on each of them.
In addition, the court ordered that all mobile phones, laptops, computers, and routers recovered from the convicts during their arrest be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Justice Osiagor also directed the Comptroller General of Immigration to ensure the immediate deportation of the convicts to their home country within seven days of completing their prison term.
