A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, convicted and jailed 14 Chinese nationals on Friday for cyberterrorism and Internet fraud.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the individuals were members of a cybercrime syndicate that was busted in a sting operation in Lagos on December 19, 2024.
According to a statement issued on its X Twitter, the 14 are among 792 individuals detained for purported bitcoin investment and romance schemes targeting Nigerians.
They Chinese were brought before Justice Daniel Osiagor on separate counts of cyber-terrorism and Internet fraud.
One of the charges read, “That you, Su Zong Gen, sometime in December 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, wilfully caused to be accessed a computer system for the purpose of destabilising and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria…”
The defendant’s initially pleaded not guilty but changed their plea to guilty during Friday’s sessions.
Prosecutors T.J. Banjo and M.S. Owede urged the court to convict them, and the defence team did not object.
Justice Osiagor sentenced each offender to one year in prison, with the option of a ₦1 million fine.
The court further ruled that after serving their sentence or paying the fee, the prisoners be deported to China by the Nigeria Immigration Service within seven days.
All items seized from offenders following arrest were ordered forfeited to the federal government.
The convicted Chinese nationals are 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.
