192 foreigners convicted of cybercrime deported

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), has completed the deportation of 192 foreign nationals convicted of cyber-terrorism, internet fraud, and related financial crimes in Lagos.

The final batch of 51 convicts, comprising 50 Chinese nationals and one Tunisian, was deported on October 16, marking the successful conclusion of the repatriation exercise that beganon August 15.

The operation followed a major sting on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi street, Victoria Island, Lagos, which led to the arrest and prosecution of 759 suspects linked to a sophisticated cybercrime and Ponzi scheme syndicate operating under the guise of Genting International Co. Limited.

Earlier batches included nationals from China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Timor-Leste, all convicted by the federal high court in Lagos for offences including cybercrime, money laundering, and Ponzi scheme operations.

The convicted foreigners were found to have engaged in large-scale online fraud, identity theft, and cyber-enabled Ponzi schemes, training recruits and managing fraudulent digital platforms targeting victims locally and internationally.(The Cable)