Nine Chinese nationals were each given a year in prison for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud by a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The judgement was handed down by Justice D.E. Osiagor on Monday, July 7, 2025, following the defendants’ guilty pleas to the EFCC’s one-count charge.
Following a sting operation codenamed “Eagle Flush” carried out by EFCC operatives in Lagos on December 19, 2024, 792 individuals, including the nine individuals in question, were apprehended on suspicion of being part of a cyber fraud syndicate. In February 2025, the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 brought charges against each of them individually.
“That you, Qin Xiao Yong, Luo Mao Yang, Liu Ni Ni, Liu Gang, Sun Qi (a.k.a Wan Jin Ping), Zhang Juan, Li de Wen, Fun Min, Tan Ming, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit:
cause to be accessed computer system used for the purpose of destabilising and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) (b) and punishable under Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.”
The offenders altered their plea from not guilty to guilty during Monday’s sessions, although they had originally pleaded not guilty.
After the defendants changed their plea, R.A. Abdulrasheed, the prosecution’s attorney, pleaded with the court to find them guilty.
On December 10, 2024, the defendants were apprehended by Justice Osiagor, who then fined them N1 million and sentenced them to one year in prison.
The court further mandated that the detainees be returned to China by the Comptroller General of Immigration no later than seven days following the verdict.
Furthermore, the Federal Government was granted possession of all digital devices, including smartphones, computers, routers, and any other electronic equipment that were found on the inmates after their detention.