By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
FOREIGN NATIONALS involved in financial cybercrime across Nigeria are now serving jail terms in the country following a major crackdown by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which successfully prosecuted and secured convictions for 146 out of 194 individuals arrested.
The announcement came on Wednesday, 9 July 2025, during the opening of the International Cybersecurity Conference in Abuja, where EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, revealed the scope of the transnational financial crime network and convictions.
Many of the convicted individuals, he disclosed, had assumed stolen Nigerian identities to carry out sophisticated online fraud targeting both individuals and institutions.
These activities, he said, directly undermined national economic stability. Olukoyede emphasised that all convicted persons will serve their prison sentences in Nigeria before being repatriated to their respective countries.
The EFCC’s coordinated effort was supported by global law enforcement bodies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Interpol.
Olukoyede expressed appreciation for these partnerships, which proved instrumental in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
“Last year, we arrested about 194 foreigners who were involved in various forms of financial crimes and activities that are inimical to the economic growth and development of our country,” he said.
“Today, I can tell you that we have succeeded in prosecution and conviction of 146 of them. They will serve their jail terms and will be repatriated to their respective countries.”
The cybersecurity conference was convened by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and drew participation from top government officials and international partners.
Attendees included the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaibu Salihu; Chairman of the House Committee on Cybersecurity, Stanley Adedeji; United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Richards Mills; and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Mr Adeladan Rafiu.
The event provided a platform for renewed commitment to cross-border collaboration in the fight against digital crime, as Nigeria continues to strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure and safeguard its economic interests from foreign criminal infiltration.
