Court Convicts Nine Chinese Nationals for Financial Terrorism

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Thursday, sentenced nine Chinese nationals, including two females, to one year imprisonment each and a fine of one million naira for economic sabotage and financial terrorism.

The convicts are Zhao Xiang Hui, Liu Hai Rong, Liu Gang, Du Ji Geng, Li Dong, Huang Bo, Xhiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, and Deng Wei Qiang.

It will be recalled that on December 10, 2024, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided a building on the sixth floor in the Oyin Jolayemi area of Lagos, arresting over 700 individuals for offences related to cyber terrorism and economic sabotage.

At the hearing, EFCC counsel Mr. Nnemeka Omewa informed the court that the nine defendants had opted for a plea bargain, which the Commission found acceptable. Defence counsel Mr. Folarin Damela confirmed the position of the EFCC and urged the court to adopt the plea bargain agreement.

The amended charge was read to the defendants, all of whom pleaded guilty. They further confirmed that they voluntarily consented to and signed the plea bargain agreement.

Following their guilty plea, Mr. Omewa urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants in accordance with the terms of the agreement. With no objection raised, Justice Osiagor proceeded to convict and sentence each defendant to one year imprisonment, effective from December 10, 2024, along with the payment of a fine of one million naira.

The court further directed that upon completion of their prison terms, the Nigerian Immigration Service should repatriate the convicts to their country of origin.

Additionally, Justice Osiagor ordered the forfeiture of all items recovered from the convicts, including furniture, computer gadgets, and laptops, to the Federal Government.

The amended one-count charge against the defendants reads:

“That sometime in December 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the convicts willfully caused computer systems to be accessed and organized to seriously destabilize and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria. They procured and employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to impersonate foreign nationals, with the intent to gain financial advantage for themselves, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”