8 Chinese Nationals Jailed in Lagos for Cyberterrorism, Romance Fraud

A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced eight Chinese nationals to prison for their role in a sprawling cyberterrorism and internet fraud syndicate uncovered in Nigeria.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on Friday, July 4, handed the ruling following a case prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which accused the men of engaging in large-scale cryptocurrency and romance scams.

Also Read: EFCC Arrests 148 Chinese, 40 Filipinos in Nigeria’s Largest Cyberfraud Crackdown

The convicted individuals — Pan Cai Qi, Zeng Xian Tao, Weng Mao Rong, Wang Xiong Wei (aka Xiao Bai), Shi Dong Fu, Wang Shi Long, Liu Ke Fan, and Ting Liao — were arrested during the EFCC’s ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ in December 2024, a massive sting that netted 792 suspects in Lagos.

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The EFCC did not disclose the individual sentences handed down, but said the court found the defendants guilty of cyberterrorism and various forms of internet fraud, crimes increasingly linked to transnational syndicates operating out of Nigeria.