Five Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos for cyberterrorism, internet fraud

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of five Chinese nationals on charges related to cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.

The judgment was delivered on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, by Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The convicted people: Guo Qiang, Yang Shumei, Guo Zhi Yong, Zhang Gia Feng, and Lu Yi Liang, were part of a larger syndicate implicated in a wide-ranging cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud scheme.

They were among the 792 suspects apprehended in a December 19, 2024, sting operation conducted by EFCC operatives in Lagos, code-named “Eagle Flush Operation.”

Each of the defendants faced separate charges stemming from their roles in the cybercrime activities, which involved unauthorized access to computer systems with the intention of undermining Nigeria’s economic and social infrastructure.

The accused pleaded not guilty upon arraignment. However, during the court proceedings on Tuesday, they reversed their plea to guilty, prompting the prosecution counsel, U.S. Kyari, to request their conviction.

Justice Dipeolu subsequently sentenced each of the five convicts to one year in prison, in addition to a fine of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira).

The court also directed that the Nigeria Immigration Service facilitate their repatriation to China within seven days following the completion of their jail terms.

Five Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos for cyberterrorism, internet fraud