EFCC DEPORTS 192 FOREIGN NATIONALS CONVICTED OF CYBERCRIME IN JOINT OPERATION WITH IMMIGRATION SERVICE
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in collaboration with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has completed the deportation of 192 foreign nationals convicted for cyber-terrorism, internet fraud, and related financial crimes.
The large-scale repatriation, which began on August 15, 2025, and concluded in mid-October 2025, marks one of Nigeria’s biggest transnational cybercrime crackdowns in recent years. The deportees include nationals from China, the Philippines, Tunisia, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, Pakistan, and Kyrgyzstan. They were airlifted in coordinated batches via multiple airlines.
The operation followed a sting raid on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, where EFCC operatives apprehended 759 suspects after receiving actionable intelligence on a massive foreign-led cybercrime and Ponzi scheme network operating in the country.
Following months of investigation and prosecution, 192 foreign nationals were convicted by the Federal High Court of Nigeria under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006. The court subsequently ordered their deportation upon completion of their prison sentences.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede described the deportation as “a strong statement of Nigeria’s resolve to rid its cyber space of transnational criminal networks.”
“This milestone underscores our commitment to protecting Nigeria’s digital and financial ecosystem. The EFCC, under my leadership, will continue to act swiftly on intelligence, prosecute offenders, and recover proceeds of crime in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s anti-corruption drive,” Olukoyede stated.
He also commended the NIS and the Nigeria Correctional Service for their cooperation, noting that effective inter-agency collaboration ensured the secure custody, prosecution, and eventual deportation of the convicts.
According to EFCC records, the first batch of 42 convicts comprising Chinese and Filipino nationals departed Nigeria on August 15, 2025. Subsequent flights followed in August and September, while the final batch of 51 convicts, including 50 Chinese nationals and one Tunisian, was repatriated on October 16, 2025, bringing the total to 192.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate specialized in identity theft, romance scams, Ponzi investment schemes, and digital training for cybercrime operations under the guise of a company, Genting International Co. Limited.
EFCC added that the syndicate’s activities posed a major threat to Nigeria’s national security and financial stability, while recovered digital devices and servers provided key evidence during prosecution.
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