Online Fraud: Nigeria Sentences Nine Chinese Nationals to Prison

The nine men admitted to being members of an “international cyberfraud syndicate.”

Nigeria’s Federal High Court sentenced nine Chinese nationals to one year in prison each on June 5, 2025, for their role in an “international cyberfraud syndicate.” This criminal group recruited and trained young Nigerians to carry out online scams, including “romance scams, dating fraud, and investment scams.”

Agents from Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested the nine hackers in December 2024 during a large raid on premises used by cybercrime businesses in Lagos. During the operation, authorities detained 599 Nigerians and 193 foreign nationals, including many Chinese.

According to the EFCC, the nine convicted individuals also took part in “large-scale cyberterrorism and identity theft operations” and “illicitly accessed information systems.” The Chinese hackers admitted their guilt and agreed to cooperate with authorities. They will be expelled from Nigeria after serving their sentences.