The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on Sunday commenced the deportation of 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted of cyberterrorism and Ponzi scheme offences.
The deportees, part of 192 foreign nationals convicted in connection with a large-scale fraud ring, were among 759 persons arrested during a major raid on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The first batch was scheduled to depart the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at 2:00 p.m.
According to senior immigration officials, the deportation will be carried out in phases, with additional groups repatriated on Monday and Tuesday until all convicts are returned to their home countries.
Officials explained that the exercise was conducted discreetly for security reasons, noting that deportation is a standard procedure once foreign nationals have served jail terms for criminal offences.
“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,” one officer told our correspondent.
Another senior immigration officer confirmed that other foreign nationals suspected of similar offences remain under surveillance.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which prosecuted the cases, revealed that the convicts had operated a sophisticated cyberfraud and Ponzi scheme network under Genting International Co. Limited. The EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, described the deportations as a “significant milestone” in Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign.
“These convictions send a strong signal that Nigeria will not serve as a haven for cybercriminals. Their successful prosecution represents a turning point in the fight against transnational financial crimes,” Olukoyede said.
The December 2024 raid remains one of the largest anti-cybercrime operations in Nigeria, underscoring the government’s renewed effort to secure national borders and combat financial crimes.
