Eight Chinese nationals have been convicted by a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, for offences linked to cyber-terrorism and Internet fraud. The verdict follows a prosecution led by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which played a pivotal role in securing the convictions.
According to an official statement released on Friday via the EFCC’s X handle, the individuals convicted include Pan Cai Qi, Zeng Xian Tao, Weng Mao Rong, Wang Xiong Wei (alias Xiao Bai), Shi Dong Fu, Wang Shi Long, Liu Ke Fan, and Ting Liao. They were part of a larger syndicate of 792 suspects apprehended on December 19, 2024, in Lagos during a sting operation code-named ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ conducted by EFCC operatives.
EFCC parades four convicted Chinese nationals involved in cybercrime and internet fraud in Lagos.
This latest development increases the total number of Chinese nationals convicted for cyber-related offences in Nigeria to 22 within just eight days. Earlier, on June 27, 14 others had been sentenced for similar crimes.
One of the charges read in court stated that Pan Cai Qi, in December 2024, unlawfully accessed a computer system with the intention of destabilizing Nigeria’s economy and social framework, in violation of the Cybercrime Act (Amended 2024).
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Initially, the accused individuals entered a plea of “not guilty,” but during Friday’s court proceedings, they reversed their stance and admitted guilt. Following the change in plea, the prosecuting counsel, M.K. Bashir, urged the court to proceed with sentencing.
justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, presiding over the case, handed down a one-year prison sentence to each of the defendants, along with a fine of ₦1 million. The judge also ordered their deportation by the Nigeria Immigration Service within seven days after completing their jail terms. Additionally, all items recovered from them during the operation were ordered forfeited to the Nigerian government.
