Eight Chinese nationals convicted for cyber-terrorism in Nigeria

A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted eight Chinese nationals for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, following successful prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC, in a statement posted on its X handle on Friday, identified the convicts as Pan Cai Qi, Zeng Xian Tao, Weng Mao Rong, Wang Xiong Wei (aka Xiao Bai), Shi Dong Fu, Wang Shi Long, Liu Ke Fan, and Ting Liao. They were part of a larger syndicate of 792 individuals arrested during a sting operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” on December 19, 2024, in Lagos.

Initially, the defendants pleaded not guilty but later changed their pleas to guilty during Friday’s proceedings. One of the charges revealed that the convicts accessed computer systems with the intent to destabilize and damage Nigeria’s economy and social structure—an offence punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024).

This latest conviction brings the total number of Chinese nationals convicted for similar offences within the past eight days to 22, following the sentencing of 14 others by the same court on June 27.