Justice D. E. Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced nine Chinese nationals to one year in prison each for cyberterrorism and internet fraud.
The convicted individuals are: Li Dong, Deng Wei Qiang, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Zhao Xiao Hui, Lui Hai Rong, Lui Gang, and Du Ji Feng.
They were among 792 suspected members of a cybercrime syndicate arrested during a sting operation dubbed “Eagle Flush” by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 19, 2024, in Lagos.
In February 2025, the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC arraigned them on separate one-count charges of cyberterrorism and internet fraud. According to the charge, they conspired to access computer systems used to destabilize and damage Nigeria’s economy and social structure — an offence under Section 27(1)(b), punishable under Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Initially, the defendants pleaded not guilty. However, at the court sitting on Thursday, June 5, 2025, they changed their pleas to guilty.
Following the change of plea, prosecution counsel Nnaemeka Omewa urged the court to convict and sentence the accused, a submission the defence counsel did not oppose.
Justice Osiagor sentenced each defendant to one year imprisonment, starting from their date of arrest—December 10, 2024—and imposed a fine of ₦1,000,000 (One Million Naira) on each of them.
Additionally, the judge ordered that the convicts be repatriated to China within seven days of completing their jail terms. All mobile phones, laptops, computers, and routers recovered during their arrest were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
