The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted 59 foreign nationals for their roles in a major cybercrime syndicate uncovered by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC).
The convicts, identified as citizens of China and Malaysia, were among 130 suspects arrested during a police raid on a building in the Jahi area of Abuja on November 3, 2024.
According to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the syndicate comprised 113 foreigners and 17 Nigerians, all accused of large-scale internet fraud, advanced hacking, and other offences threatening Nigeria’s cybersecurity.
Twenty-one members of the group had earlier been sentenced in August 2025, while five others were convicted in September, bringing the total number of convictions in the case to 85.
Hundeyin, in a statement on Thursday, said, “In furtherance of the Nigeria Police Force’s sustained efforts to combat all forms of cybercrime and safeguard national security, the National Cybercrime Centre has recorded another milestone with the conviction of 59 foreign nationals involved in the international cybercrime syndicate uncovered in November 2024.”
He explained that the November 2024 operation followed actionable intelligence, leading to a coordinated raid on a building in Jahi. The suspects were allegedly engaged in various cyber offences, including large-scale internet fraud and sophisticated hacking operations capable of undermining national security.
The court’s decision came after prosecutors presented digital forensic evidence directly linking the convicts to multiple cyberattacks and fraudulent activities.
Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun described the convictions as a major success in the country’s campaign against cybercrime. He noted that the development sends a “strong message to both local and international cybercriminal networks that Nigeria will not serve as a safe haven for their operations.”
Egbetokun further pledged continued investment in technology-driven policing, international collaboration, and diligent prosecution to dismantle organized cybercrime rings across the country.
In a related development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recently repatriated 51 convicted foreign nationals—50 Chinese and one Tunisian—bringing the total number of deported cybercrime convicts to 102 since August 2025.
