Nine Chinese nationals have been sentenced to one-year imprisonment each by a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, for their roles in cyber-terrorism and internet-related crimes.
The convicts — Li Dong, Deng Wei Qiang, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Zhao Xiao Hui, Lui Hai Rong, Lui Gang, and Du Ji Feng — were among the 792 suspects apprehended during the December 2024 raid codenamed “Eagle Flush Operation” conducted by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Initially arraigned in February 2025 on separate one-count charges bordering on cyber-terrorism and online fraud, the defendants had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
However, during court proceedings on Thursday, June 5, 2025, the accused suddenly changed their pleas to “guilty”, paving the way for speedy conviction.
Following their guilty plea, prosecuting counsel Nnaemeka Omewa urged the court to hand down a conviction.
In his ruling, Justice Daniel Osiagor sentenced the defendants to one year in prison each, with the sentence backdated to December 10, 2024, the day of their arrest.
In addition to the jail term, each convict was slammed with a ₦1 million fine.
The court further directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure the convicts are deported back to China within seven days after serving their sentences.
Justice Osiagor also ordered the forfeiture of all digital gadgets recovered from the convicts — including phones, laptops, computers, and routers — to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The EFCC’s Eagle Flush Operation has been hailed as one of the largest anti-cybercrime crackdowns in Nigeria’s history, and the conviction of these foreign nationals sends a strong signal that the country is not a haven for international cybercriminals.
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