By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
THE ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), working in collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), has completed the deportation of 192 foreign nationals convicted for cyber-terrorism, internet fraud, and other financial crimes in Lagos.
According to the Commission’s Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, the exercise marked the final phase of a coordinated operation that began in August 2025, following the arrest and prosecution of 759 suspects in a major sting operation conducted on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Oyewale disclosed that the deportation commenced on August 15, 2025, with the first batch of 42 convicts, comprising Chinese and Filipino nationals.
Additional batches followed through August and September, with the final group of 51 convicts, including 50 Chinese nationals and one Tunisian, leaving Nigeria on October 16, 2025.
He explained that the deported convicts included nationals of China, the Philippines, Tunisia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Timor-Leste. All were repatriated in accordance with court directives and standard immigration procedures.
“The deportation exercise, which began on Friday, August 15, 2025, followed the conviction of the offenders by the Federal High Court in Lagos for offences bordering on cybercrime, money laundering, and Ponzi scheme operations,” Oyewale stated.
He further noted that the convicted foreigners were arrested alongside Nigerian accomplices linked to a cybercrime and Ponzi scheme syndicate operating under the cover of Genting International Co. Limited.
“The operation, based on credible, actionable intelligence, and subsequent investigations, confirmed that the convicted foreigners were involved in large-scale online fraud, identity theft, and cyber-enabled Ponzi schemes.
Evidence revealed that they trained recruits and managed fraudulent digital platforms aimed at defrauding victims both locally and internationally. The Nigeria Immigration Service deported them as directed by the court,” Oyewale added.
The completion of the deportation process marks the conclusion of one of the largest collaborative anti-cybercrime enforcement efforts between the EFCC, NIS, and NCoS, reinforcing Nigeria’s ongoing measures against transnational financial crimes.
