Five Chinese nationals have been sentenced to one year imprisonment each for engaging in cyberterrorism, internet fraud, and activities aimed at destabilising Nigeria’s economy.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos delivered the judgment after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) successfully prosecuted the convicts.
The five convicts — Guo Qiang (alias Wu You You), Yang Shumei, Guo Zhi Yong, Zhang Jia Feng, and Lu Yi Liang — were found guilty of accessing Nigerian computer systems with the intent to disrupt the country’s economic and social structure.
One of the charges read, “That you, Guo Qiang (aka Wu You You), 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, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).”
The EFCC revealed in its statement on Tuesday that the convicted fraudsters were among the 792 suspects arrested during a December 2024 sting operation targeting cybercriminals involved in cryptocurrency scams and online romance fraud schemes.
Aside from the one-year jail term, the court also imposed a fine of ₦1,000,000 on each of the convicts.
Justice Dipeolu further ordered that the convicts be deported to China immediately after serving their sentences, as directed by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
The conviction marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s effort to clamp down on transnational cybercrime networks exploiting the country’s digital infrastructure.
The EFCC has pledged to intensify its crackdown on foreign and local cybercriminals, warning that Nigeria will not be a haven for economic saboteurs.
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