Court Sentences Nine Chinese Nationals to Prison for Cyber Terrorism and Internet

Court Sentences Nine Chinese Nationals to Prison for Cyber Terrorism and Internet Fraud in Lagos.

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 their involvement in cyber-terrorism 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 part of a larger group of 792 suspects arrested on December 19, 2024, during a sting operation dubbed "Eagle Flush Operation," carried out by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos. In February 2025, they faced separate one-count charges of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, brought before the court by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC. The charges stated: "That you, LI Dong, Deng Wei Qiang, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Zhao Xiao Hui, Lui Hai Rong, Lui Gang, and Du Ji Feng, on or about December 2024 in Lagos, conspired to commit an offense by accessing a computer system intended to destabilize and harm the economy and social structure of Nigeria, thereby violating Section 27 (1) (b) and punishable under Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act of 2015." Initially, the defendants pleaded "not guilty," but during the court session on June 5, 2025, they changed their pleas to "guilty." In light of their admissions, prosecution lawyer Nnaemeka Omewa requested the court to impose appropriate penalties. The defense counsel concurred with the prosecution's recommendations. As a result, Justice Osiagor convicted each defendant and imposed a one-year prison term, starting from their arrest on December 10, 2025, along with a fine of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira) each.

Furthermore, the judge instructed that upon serving their sentences, the Comptroller General of Immigration should ensure their repatriation to China within seven days. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the mobile phones, computers, laptops, and routers seized from them during their arrest to the Federal Government of Nigeria.