Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, to 46 years’ imprisonment each for cyberterrorism and internet fraud.
The convicts, alongside one Friday Audu, were among 792 suspected fraudsters arrested on December 19, 2024, during a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” conducted by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos.
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EFCC investigations revealed that Audu allegedly incorporated Genting International Co. Ltd. on the directive of Huang to facilitate the fraudulent scheme.
The commission said the defendants procured and employed Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as foreign nationals to defraud unsuspecting victims through online platforms.
They were arraigned alongside Genting International Co. Ltd. by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC on a seven-count charge bordering on cyberterrorism, internet fraud and money laundering involving N3,407,824,740.78 and $2,562,203.
One of the charges reads:
“That you, Huang Haoyu, a.k.a Ken, Audu Friday, An Hongxu, Duliang Pan (at large) and Genting International Co. Ltd., sometime in 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to wilfully cause to be accessed computer systems organised to seriously destabilise the economic and social structure of Nigeria… when you, with intent to gain financial advantage for yourselves and your cronies, procured and/or employed Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as persons of foreign nationalities, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended, 2024) and punishable under Section 18 of the same Act.”
The defendants initially pleaded not guilty.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel to the first and third defendants, Bridget Omateno, informed the court that her clients wished to change their pleas.
When the charges were re-read, Huang and Hongxu pleaded guilty, while Audu maintained his not guilty plea.
Following the guilty pleas, prosecution counsel Bilikisu Bala-Buhari told the court that the prosecution had earlier called two witnesses before the change of plea. She urged the court to impose “the maximum punishment of life imprisonment on counts one, two and three, and 14 years’ imprisonment on counts four to seven.”
She also prayed the court to order the forfeiture of all items recovered during investigation from four properties listed in the charge.
The items include 1,596 mobile phones; 2,120 office chairs; 544 office tables; 194 routers; 43 computer systems; a network server; 126 air-conditioning units; generators and vehicles; hundreds of mattresses and bunk beds; thousands of SIM cards across different networks; and other electronic devices recovered from properties in Victoria Island and Ikoyi.
In his judgment, Justice Osiagor convicted and sentenced Huang and Hongxu to a cumulative term of 46 years’ imprisonment each, with an option of a N56 million fine.
The court also ordered that the convicts undertake three days of community service and be repatriated after serving their sentences and completing the community service.
The case was adjourned to April 29, 2026, for continuation of trial in respect of Audu, who maintained his not guilty plea.
