…as court order repatriation of the nine Chinese to their country upon completion of their sentences.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State has convicted and sentenced nine Chinese nationals, including two women, to one year imprisonment each for economic sabotage and financial terrorism, iNews Times reports.
In addition to their prison terms, Justice Daniel Osiagor ordered each of the convicts to pay a fine of ₦1 million.
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.
The conviction follows a crackdown by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 10, 2024, when its operatives raided a building on the sixth floor of a property in the Oyin Jolayemi area of Lagos.
During the raid, over 700 individuals were arrested for alleged involvement in cyber terrorism and economic sabotage.
The iNews Times gathered that the nine Chinese had entered into a plea bargain agreement with the EFCC, which was accepted by the court.
At the resumed hearing of their trial, the EFCC counsel, Nnemeka Omewa, informed the court of the plea bargain agreement, which was confirmed by the defence counsel, Folarin Damela.
The amended charge was read in court, and all nine Chinese pleaded guilty, confirming that they willingly consented to and signed the plea bargain agreement.
Justice Osiagor convicted the nine Chinese and handed down the agreed sentence, ruling that the prison term would run from December 10, 2024, the date of their arrest.
The court also ordered that all items recovered from the convicts, including furniture, computers, and laptops, be forfeited to the Federal Government.
In addition, Justice Osiagor directed the Nigerian Immigration Service to repatriate the convicts to China upon completion of their sentences.
According to the amended one-count charge, the convicts were found guilty of willfully accessing computer systems in December 2024 to orchestrate activities aimed at destabilizing Nigeria’s economic and social structure.
The EFCC accused the convicts of recruiting Nigerian youths to commit identity theft and pose as foreign nationals for financial gain, an offense contrary to 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.
The development marks a significant step in the fight against economic sabotage and financial terrorism in Nigeria, and serves as a warning to individuals and groups engaging in similar activities.
