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.
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.
Media & Publicity
June 23, 2025
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