EFCC, NIS, NCoS complete deportation of 192 foreigners convicted of cyber-terrorism in Lagos
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 – 50 Chinese nationals and one Tunisian – departed Nigeria on Friday, bringing the repatriation exercise to a successful close.
The deportation followed convictions by the Federal High Court in Lagos for offences related to cybercrime, money laundering, and Ponzi scheme operations.
The convicts were arrested alongside their Nigerian accomplices during a major EFCC sting operation on 10 December 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. In total, 759 suspects were apprehended during the operation.
The deported foreigners, nationals of China, the Philippines, Tunisia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Timor-Leste, were confirmed to have been part of a sophisticated cybercrime and Ponzi scheme syndicate operating under the guise of Genting International Co. Limited.
EFCC revealed that they engaged in large-scale online fraud, identity theft, and cyber-enabled Ponzi schemes, including training recruits and managing fraudulent digital platforms targeting victims both within Nigeria and abroad.
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The deportation exercise has been covered extensively by this newspaper. Earlier, NIS reportedly deported 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals for cyber fraud and Ponzi schemes.
Also, the deportation of 102 foreign nationals, including 60 Chinese and 39 Filipinos, convicted in crypto romance scams.
The Nigeria Immigration Service carried out the deportations in accordance with court directives and immigration procedures, marking a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to clamp down on cybercrime.
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