42 convicted Chinese and Philippine cybercriminal nationals deported after serving out jail terms, others also marked for deportation
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nigeria on Sunday began the deportation of 42 out of 192 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted of cyberterrorism and Ponzi scheme offences.
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) deported the first batch who have served out their jail terms from among 759 arrested on 10 December 2024 at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The process is done in phases, with others expected to be repatriated on Monday and Tuesday until all are air lifted back to their home countries.
A senior immigration official at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, who did not want his name mentioned, confirmed to The PUNCH that all the convicts have been handed over to the NIS for deportation, but the operation is being conducted with minimal public attention for security reasons.
He explained that “Whether it’s a criminal offence or a visa violation, anyone who has served their jail term is typically deported. Even if someone holds a valid immigration status, certain crimes automatically render that status void.
“In this case, these individuals were not deported for immigration violations alone but for criminal activities. We cannot allow foreigners to commit crimes in our country and have Nigerians take the blame for their actions.”
Another senior immigration officer, who also declined to be named, disclosed that the NIS is monitoring other foreign nationals suspected of similar crimes.
“This is part of an ongoing operation to ensure that Nigeria’s borders remain secure. We are focused on results, not public recognition. Our duty is sensitive, and we act within the law to maintain national security,” he said.
Details of crimes committed were not disclosed but other sources stressed that the deportations are being carried out legally after due process.
“You know, for immigration service,” a source clarified, “they do their jobs not as a form of validation to ensure that our mandate stipulated by Nigerian laws is followed to the letter.
“I don’t know their reason for keeping quiet on this, but I know that it is the nature of the service to continue to work underneath to secure our borders.
“These nationals committed criminal-related offences and not visa-related offences. We must send them back to their countries; they can’t be here committing crimes, and people would then think it is Nigerians doing that. We won’t allow them to do that in our country.
“We still have some of them we are watching, we are only result-oriented and not interested in public opinion because a security job is a very sensitive one.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which prosecuted the cases, disclosed that the convicts operated an extensive cyberfraud and Ponzi network.
And EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede described the deportations as a “significant milestone” in Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign, as “these convictions send a strong signal that Nigeria will not serve as a haven for cybercriminals.
“The Commission remains committed to intensifying investigations, recovering stolen funds, and restoring national dignity in line with President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption drive.”
The charges filed against the convicts included the use of false identities to defraud victims, training employees of Genting International Company Limited in fraudulent practices, and other offences under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
“These offences were calculated to undermine Nigeria’s security and financial integrity. Their successful prosecution represents a turning point in the fight against transnational financial crimes,” Olukoyede added.
The raid last December, one of the largest anti-cybercrime operations in Nigeria, marked a turning point in the crackdown on transnational financial crimes.
Read also:
