By Miriam Humbe
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, June 23, 2025, secured the conviction and sentence of 17 Chinese nationals to one year imprisonment each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud before Justices D. E.Osiagor and Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity disclosed this in a statement signed on Monday.
The convicts are: Yu Hui,( a.k.a A.Bin), Huang Jin Hui, Fei Fan, LU Qiang , HU Xi Zheng, Sun Zhi Peng, WU Hao, Cong Bing and LI Qiang (a.k.a Yang Huan Huan).
Others are: Zheng Wei( a.k.a .A Hong) , Cheng Jian, DA Tou, A Wen, Zhang Lei, Huang Zhi, Pan Jiong and Chen Wen Yuan.
They are among the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024 in Lagos during a sting operation tagged ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ conducted by EFCC operatives.
They were subsequently arraigned on a separate one-count charge of cyber- terrorism and internet fraud in February, 2025.
One of the charges reads: “ That you, Yu Hui, (A.K.A A.Bin) , Huang Jin Hui, Fei Fan, LU Qiang , HU Xi Zheng, Sun Zhi Peng, WU Hao, Cong Bing, LI Qiang (A.K.A Yang Huan Huan), Zheng Wei( A.K.A .A Hong) , Cheng Jian, DA Tou, A Wen, Huang Zhi, Zhang Lei. sometime in December, 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, caused to be accessed computer system used for the purpose of destabilising and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.”
Another charge reads: “That you, Pan jiong and Chen Wen Yuan, sometime in December, 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, cause to be accessed computer system used for the purpose of destabilising and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015.”
They initially pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them. However, during Monday’s sitting, they all changed their “not guilty plea” to “guilty.”
In view of this, the prosecution counsel, Nneemeka Omewa, U.S Kyari and B. M.Isah , informed the court of the plea bargain entered into by the defendants.
Responding, the defence counsel agreed with the submissions of the prosecution and prayed the courts to accept the same.
Consequently, Justices Osiagor and Dipeolu convicted and sentenced each of the defendants to one year imprisonment, starting from the date of arrest on December 10, 2025, with a fine in the sum of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira only).
The judges directed the Comptroller General of Immigration to ensure that the convicts are repatriated to their country of origin within seven days.
The judges further ordered that the mobile phones, computers, laptop computers and routers seized from them at the time of arrest be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
