EFCC deports 192 Foreign nationals convicted for cybercrime, financial fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), has completed the deportation of 192 foreign nationals convicted of cyber-terrorism, internet fraud, and related financial crimes in Lagos.

The exercise concluded a major inter-agency operation following the arrest and successful prosecution of 759 suspects during a large-scale sting operation conducted by the EFCC on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to the EFCC, the deportation process began on August 15, 2025, after the convicts were sentenced by the Federal High Court in Lagos for offences including cybercrime, money laundering, and Ponzi scheme operations.

The first batch of 42 convicts — mainly Chinese and Filipino nationals — was deported on August 15, while other batches followed through August and September. The final group of 51 convicts, comprising 50 Chinese nationals and one Tunisian, left Nigeria on October 16, 2025, bringing the total number of deported foreigners to 192.

Those deported included nationals from China, the Philippines, Tunisia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Timor-Leste. The deportations were carried out in coordinated phases between August and mid-October 2025, in accordance with court orders and immigration laws.

Investigations uncovered that the convicts were part of a sophisticated cybercrime and Ponzi scheme syndicate operating under the cover of Genting International Co. Limited, in partnership with some Nigerian collaborators.

The operation, based on credible intelligence, revealed widespread online fraud, identity theft, and cyber-enabled Ponzi schemes targeting both local and international victims. Evidence showed that the foreign suspects not only managed the fraudulent operations but also trained local recruits to carry out the scams.

Following their convictions, the Nigerian Immigration Service implemented their deportation as directed by the court.