Five Chinese nationals have been convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
This follows the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) securing their conviction before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
The convicted individuals are Guo Qiang (aka Wu You You), Yang Shumei, Guo Zhi Yong, Zhang Jiang Feng and Lu Yi Liang.
According to the EFCC, they are among a syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024, in Lagos during a sting operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation”, conducted by its operatives.
The Commission stated that the convicts were arraigned on separate charges bordering on cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Guo Qiang (aka Wu You You) sometime in December 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourabe Court, wilfully caused to be accessed computer system for the purpose of destabilizing and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).”
They initially pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them. However, during Tuesday’s sitting, their pleas changed to “guilty”.
In view of this, the prosecution counsel, U.S Kyari, prayed the court to convict them as charged and all the defendants were sentenced to one year imprisonment, with a fine of ₦1 million each.
The judge also ordered that upon completion of their sentences, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) must ensure their repatriation to their country of origin within seven days.
