The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will today begin the deportation of 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted of cyber terrorism and Ponzi scheme offences.
The group, the first batch out of 192 convicts, is scheduled to leave Nigeria on Sunday afternoon. They were among 759 suspects arrested during a major raid on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, on 10 December 2024.
According to the NIS, further batches will be repatriated on Monday and Tuesday, completing the deportation process. All the convicts have since been handed over to the Immigration Service for removal to their home countries.
The syndicate had operated a large-scale cyber fraud and Ponzi scheme before being dismantled in the joint operation. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which prosecuted the cases, confirmed that 192 foreign nationals were convicted in connection with the scam.
Prosecutors said the charges included the use of fake identities to defraud victims, training staff of Genting International Co. Limited in fraudulent practices, and other offences under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.
The EFCC described the convictions as a significant step in tackling crimes that undermined Nigeria’s security and financial integrity.
EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede hailed the outcome as a milestone in the country’s fight against cybercrime and financial fraud. He pledged that the Commission would intensify investigations, recover stolen funds, and uphold national dignity in line with President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption agenda.
The December raid, regarded as one of the most extensive anti-cybercrime operations in Nigeria, is seen as a turning point in efforts to curb transnational financial crime.
