A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced 14 Chinese nationals to one year in prison for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
The court also ruled that they should be deported to China within seven days after serving their sentence or paying their fine.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said the convicts were part of a large cybercrime syndicate arrested in Lagos on December 19, 2024. According to the EFCC, they were involved in cryptocurrency investment scams and fake online relationships targeting Nigerians.
In a post on its X handle, the EFCC revealed that the 14 Chinese nationals were among 792 suspects caught in a sting operation. They were arraigned before Justice Daniel Osiagor on charges of using computer systems to harm Nigeria’s economy and social structure.
One of the charges read, “That you, Su Zong Gen, sometime in December 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, willfully caused to be accessed computer system for the purpose of destabilising and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria…”
Although they first pleaded not guilty, the suspects later changed their plea to guilty during Friday’s hearing.
The prosecution lawyers, T.J. Banjo and M.S. Owede, asked the court to convict them, while the defence did not object.
Justice Osiagor sentenced each of them to one year imprisonment with an option of paying a N1 million fine. He also ordered that all items recovered from them be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The convicted Chinese nationals include Su Zong Gen, Li Zhong Chang, Chen Gui Ping, Li Xiang Long, San Feng Zhang, Jia Yang, Jia Zhi Hao, Liu Chuang, Yu Hai Ging, Zhao Xiao Liang, Dai Li, Tao Kun, Mao Bu Yi, and Zhao Zi Cheng.
