Nigeria Deports 50 Chinese Nationals in Major Cybercrime Crackdown

Udumbara Udumbara
Aug 23, 2025 - 09:57 Updated: Aug 23, 2025 - 09:53
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Nigeria Deports 50 Chinese Nationals in Major Cybercrime Crackdown
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Nigeria has deported 51 foreign nationals—including 50 Chinese citizens and one Tunisian—after they were convicted of cyberterrorism and internet fraud, authorities announced Aug. 21.

The scams primarily targeted victims in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe, using advanced techniques to defraud individuals and businesses of substantial sums.

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the deportation stems from a wide-reaching operation that began on Aug. 15 in partnership with the Nigerian Immigration Service.

The deportees were among 192 suspected cybercriminals arrested during a major sting operation targeting a massive cybercrime group operating in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial and financial hub.

The operation followed “actionable intelligence about the operations of one of the largest foreign-led cybercrime syndicates in Nigeria,” said the commission.

Authorities uncovered a sophisticated network running scams across international borders during the coordinated operation in the upscale Victoria Island district.

Among the 192 arrested foreign nationals, 148 were Chinese citizens, the EFCC said.

The suspects were involved in a range of criminal activities, including cyberterrorism, internet fraud, romance scams, and fake cryptocurrency investment schemes. The agency also reported the seizure of advanced hacking tools and encrypted communication systems.

Following their convictions and sentencing in Nigerian courts, the deportees were handed over to immigration authorities for removal. The deportations bring the total number of foreign nationals deported since Aug. 15 to 102.

Convictions and deportations are expected to continue. Recently, the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted an additional 21 foreign nationals of cyber-related offenses and money laundering, issuing fines of 1 million naira (about $650) to each individual and ordering them to leave the country, according to local Nigerian outlet The Guardian.

Late last year, the EFCC arrested almost 800 people in a building in Lagos believed to be a hub for fraudsters who lured victims, with offers of romance, into handing over cash for phony cryptocurrency investments.

According to the EFCC, foreign ringleaders use phishing schemes and sophisticated tactics, such as fake online personas and fraudulent investment offers, to deceive victims into transferring funds or revealing sensitive information. These crimes often result in victims losing their life savings, essential business capital, or borrowed money.

Officials say rehabilitation programs are being introduced to steer young Nigerians away from online fraud and into digital skills training.

Internet scams involving Chinese nationals have drawn increasing global attention, particularly since late 2023, when large-scale fraud operations based in Burma (also known as Myanmar) began surfacing. Many of these scams are run from sophisticated centers near the Thailand-Burma border, where Chinese nationals play prominent roles as both operators and enforcers.

Investigations have revealed that these syndicates primarily target fellow Chinese citizens, though they also affect international victims.

Reuters contributed to this report.
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