Keypoints:
- Nine Chinese citizens jailed for cyber fraud in Lagos
- Convictions linked to romance and crypto scams
- Over 790 suspects arrested in EFCC crackdown
NIGERIA has sentenced nine Chinese nationals to one year in prison each and imposed fines for their involvement in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, including cryptocurrency and romance scams, the country’s anti-corruption agency announced this week.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the individuals were convicted in a Lagos court after pleading guilty to cybercrime-related charges. Each was ordered to pay a fine of one million naira (about $630) in addition to serving a 12-month prison term.
The Chinese nationals were part of a broader crackdown by the EFCC in Victoria Island, an upscale neighbourhood in Lagos, where agents raided hideouts suspected of hosting cybercrime rings in December 2024.
Wider crackdown nets hundreds
The EFCC said a total of 792 individuals were arrested in the December operation. The nine convicted Chinese citizens were allegedly members of a syndicate engaged in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams, which typically target victims in North America, Europe, and Mexico.
The agency confirmed that mobile phones, computers, laptops, and routers were recovered during the arrests, supporting evidence of fraudulent online activity.
Originally, the nine suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges, but later changed their plea, according to the EFCC’s official statement.
Nigeria battles international fraud rings
Nigeria continues to fight large-scale internet fraud operations, with authorities increasingly warning of transnational networks using local accomplices to orchestrate scams.
The EFCC has previously revealed that foreign cybercriminal groups often recruit Nigerian nationals to identify and engage targets online through deceptive tactics such as phishing and fake investment schemes.
‘These criminals typically lure unsuspecting victims into online relationships or fraudulent investment opportunities, often leading to financial losses and data breaches,’ an EFCC spokesperson noted in an earlier briefing.
Targeting international victims
The agency said that American, Canadian, Mexican, and European citizens are often the primary targets of these cybercriminal operations. The EFCC has pledged to increase international cooperation and surveillance efforts to track and dismantle such syndicates operating within Nigeria.
While the nine jailed Chinese nationals represent only a fraction of the hundreds apprehended, their conviction underscores Nigeria’s intensifying effort to clamp down on internet fraud and cybercrime.
