A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced nine Chinese nationals to one year in prison each. Justice D. E. Osiagor delivered the judgment on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested the suspects on December 19, 2024. They were part of a major sting operation named “Eagle Flush Operation.”
Officers apprehended 792 individuals that day. The EFCC linked the nine Chinese nationals to internet fraud and cyber-terrorism.
The convicted persons are:
Li Dong, Deng Wei Qiang, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Zhao Xiao Hui, Lui Hai Rong, Lui Gang, and Du Ji Feng.
In February 2025, the EFCC arraigned the suspects at its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Ikoyi. Each suspect faced a one-count charge for cybercrime and internet fraud.
The charge stated that they accessed Nigerian computer systems to destabilize the economy and society. This act violates Section 27 (1)(b) and is punishable under Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes Act of 2015.
At first, the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges. But during the hearing on June 5, 2025, they changed their plea to guilty.
Prosecution counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, urged the court to convict them. The defence team agreed with this request.
Justice Osiagor sentenced each convict to one year in prison, starting from December 10, 2024, the date of their arrest. He also imposed a ₦1,000,000 fine on each person.
The judge instructed the Nigeria Immigration Service to deport the convicts within seven days of completing their sentence.
The court ordered the seizure of all electronic items found during the arrest. These include mobile phones, laptops, computers, and routers. The Federal Government will now take custody of these devices.
EFCC Reacts to the Judgment
The EFCC welcomed the judgment. It described the conviction as another victory in the fight against cybercrime. The agency promised to intensify efforts to track and prosecute cross-border internet fraud.
