Court Jails 18 Foreign Nationals for Cyber Terrorism, Orders Deportation After Sentence

A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced 18 foreign nationals to one year imprisonment each for cyberterrorism, fraud, and attempts to destabilize Nigeria’s constitutional order. The court also ordered their deportation following the completion of their sentences.

The convicted individuals were among 193 foreign nationals apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2024 during a massive raid on a seven-storey building located on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The operation, which targeted a global cybercrime and cryptocurrency fraud syndicate, resulted in the arrest of 792 suspects in total.

The convicts initially pleaded not guilty but later changed their pleas as part of a plea bargain agreement with the EFCC.

Justices Chukwujekwu Aneke and Yellim Bogoro delivered the judgments in two separate rulings. Justice Aneke sentenced six defendants—Eliza Gapparova, Diana Kadyrbekova, Nasrine Chouaieb, Jiang Han Hua, Liao Zhang, and Genting International Co. Limited—on charges including cyberterrorism, identity theft, and using Nigerian youths to impersonate foreigners for financial fraud.

Justice Bogoro sentenced 12 Philippine nationals—Jean Calatar Maunfo, Donne Reges, Roseann Gonzaus, Mary Grace Dela Piazza Camara, Lari Jane Tayae, Jonilyn Agulto, Jonalyn Mendoza, Anjeannet Topacio, and Arramef Topacio—under similar charges and plea arrangements.

The prosecution teams, led by Zeinat Atiku, Hanatu Kofanaisa, and Temitope Banjo, presented evidence of the defendants’ roles in the cybercrime network. Defence lawyers Osuala Nwafbara, Z.S. Makinde, Peter Taiwo, and Bridget Omateno negotiated the plea agreements.

According to the EFCC, the syndicate—known internally as “HK”—used over 1,500 laptops and 4,000 mobile phones to train both Nigerian and foreign operatives in romance and investment scams. Their targets included victims in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and across Europe.

Genting International Company Limited, allegedly controlled by syndicate leaders, was incorporated in mid-2024 and reportedly employed 200 Chinese nationals to oversee the fraudulent operations. The Victoria Island facility was disguised as a corporate financial headquarters and used Nigerian VPNs to conceal digital footprints.

The scams were carried out on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and through a fake investment website, http://www.yooto.com, which charged victims fees starting from $35. One of the defendants reportedly received over N3.4 billion in illicit proceeds.

Under the terms of the plea deal, the one-year prison terms are retroactive to their arrest date of December 10, 2024. Each convict is also required to pay a fine of N1 million. Upon completion of their sentences and payment of fines, the individuals will be deported within seven days.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of all laptops, mobile phones, and internet routers used in the crimes to the Federal Government of Nigeria.