Nigeria Deports 42 Convicted Chinese, Philippine Cybercriminals After Major EFCC Crackdown
Story: written by sringnewsng August 18,2025
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on Sunday commenced the deportation of 42 foreign nationals from China and the Philippines convicted of cybercrime and Ponzi scheme operations in the country.
The deportees, part of a group of 192 convicted foreigners, were flown out of Nigeria at 2:00 p.m. local time. Their repatriation follows their conviction in court after a large-scale cybercrime raid carried out on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, where 759 suspects were initially arrested.
According to the NIS, the deportation exercise is being carried out in phases, with the remaining convicts scheduled to be repatriated on Monday and Tuesday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which prosecuted the cases, confirmed that the syndicate operated a vast cyberfraud and Ponzi network across Nigeria.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, described the deportations as a “significant milestone” in the country’s anti-corruption and anti-cybercrime campaign.
“These convictions send a strong signal that Nigeria will not serve as a haven for cybercriminals. The commission remains committed to intensifying investigations, recovering stolen funds, and restoring national dignity in line with President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption drive,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC disclosed that the charges against the convicts included identity theft, defrauding unsuspecting victims, and training employees of Genting International Co. Limited in fraudulent activities, in violation of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Olukoyede further explained that the crimes were designed to undermine Nigeria’s security and financial integrity, stressing that their successful prosecution represents a turning point in the fight against transnational financial crimes.
The December 2024 raid, regarded as one of Nigeria’s largest anti-cybercrime crackdowns, is now seen as a defining moment in the nation’s battle against international fraud syndicates.
