Nigeria deports 51 foreign nationals convicted of cyber-terrorism, internet fraud

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in collaboration with other agencies, deported another batch of 51 foreign nationals convicted of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud in Lagos. EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Oyewale said the exercise was jointly carried out by the anti-graft agency with the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Correctional Service. According to him, the final batch of 51 convicts, including 50 Chinese nationals and one Tunisian, brings to 192 the number of  foreigners convicted of financial crimes in Lagos to a close. He said that the last batch of deportees left Nigeria on Oct. 16. ”The deportation exercise followed the arrest and successful prosecution of 759 suspects during a major sting operation conducted by the EFCC on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. 
“The deportation exercise, which began on August 15, followed the conviction of the offenders by the Federal High Court in Lagos for offences bordering on cybercrime, money laundering, and Ponzi scheme operations. The first batch of 42 convicts, comprising Chinese and Filipino nationals, was deported on Aug. 15; subsequent batches followed throughout August and September,” he said. According to him, the deported convicts include nationals of China, the Philippines, Tunisia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Timor-Leste. They were deported in coordinated batches between August and mid-October 2025, in accordance with court directives and immigration procedures. ”All the deported convicts bagged their imprisonment when they were arrested with their Nigerian accomplices, believed to be members of a sophisticated cybercrime and Ponzi scheme syndicate.
”The syndicate was said to be operating under the cover of Genting International Co. Limited. The operation, based on credible, actionable intelligence and subsequent investigations,  confirmed that the convicted foreigners were involved in large-scale online fraud, identity theft, and cyber-enabled Ponzi schemes,” the EFCC spokesman explained.
According to him, evidence revealed that they trained recruits and managed fraudulent digital platforms aimed at defrauding victims both locally and internationally. The Nigeria Immigration Service deported them as directed by the court,” he said. (NAN)