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| Man in prison cell used to illustrate the story |
Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday sentenced nine Chinese nationals to one year in prison for cyber terrorism and economic sabotage.
The convicts, including two women, were part of a sophisticated syndicate accused of hacking into Nigerian systems to destabilize the country’s financial infrastructure.
The convicted individuals Zhao Xiang Hui, Liu Hai Rong, Liu Gang, Du Ji Geng, Li Dong, Huang Bo, Xhiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, and Deng Wei Qiang were arrested in a dramatic December 2024 raid by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Over 700 suspects were initially detained in the operation, which targeted a cybercrime hub on the sixth floor of a building in Lagos’s Oyin Jolayemi district.
In court, EFCC prosecutor Nnemeka Omewa revealed that the nine had struck a plea bargain with the anti-graft agency. Defence counsel Folarin Damela confirmed the deal, urging the judge to accept it.
After the amended charge was read, all defendants pleaded guilty, admitting they knowingly participated in cyberattacks aimed at undermining Nigeria’s economy. Justice Osiagor sentenced each to one year behind bars, backdated to their arrest date, and imposed a N1 million fine per convict.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of all seized assets—including computers, laptops, and furniture—to the Nigerian government. Additionally, the convicts will be deported to China after serving their terms, per directives to the Nigerian Immigration Service.
Investigations revealed the gang recruited young Nigerians to commit identity fraud, posing as foreign nationals to siphon funds. Their activities violated Section 18 of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act (2015, as amended) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism Act (2022).
The case marks a major victory for Nigeria’s fight against cybercrime. The EFCC has vowed to intensify operations, warning that foreign nationals exploiting Nigeria’s digital space will face the full wrath of the law.