The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on Sunday carried out the deportation of 42 foreign nationals, comprising Chinese and Philippine citizens, who had earlier been convicted by the Federal High Court in Lagos for engaging in cyber terrorism and operating large-scale Ponzi scheme networks across the country.
According to authorities, the deportees represent the first batch out of a total of 192 convicted foreign nationals whose cases were prosecuted following months of investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The convicts were part of a wider syndicate, numbering 759 persons in total, who were arrested during a massive raid conducted on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. This operation has been described as one of the most significant cybercrime crackdowns ever carried out in Nigeria.
The NIS confirmed that deportations will continue in phases, with the next groups of convicted foreigners scheduled to be repatriated on Monday and Tuesday, until all 192 are returned to their home countries. The agency stressed that the deportations form part of a broader government strategy aimed at dismantling transnational crime syndicates that have exploited Nigeria’s financial system for years.
Investigations by the EFCC revealed that the criminal group had been running sophisticated cyberfraud operations, including identity theft, online scams, and Ponzi investment traps. The syndicate was also accused of training employees of Genting International Co. Limited in illegal financial practices. These actions contravened provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006, leading to their conviction in court.
Speaking on the development, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede described the deportations as a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign. He emphasized that the move demonstrates Nigeria’s resolve to confront cybercrime head-on, recover stolen assets, protect unsuspecting citizens from fraud, and safeguard the integrity of the country’s financial system. He further noted that the success aligns directly with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed commitment to clamp down on corruption and restore investor confidence in Nigeria’s economy.
The December raid and subsequent deportations are now being regarded as a turning point in the fight against cybercrime in Nigeria, setting a new precedent in how the government collaborates with law enforcement to dismantle international fraud networks that threaten national and global financial stability.