The arraignment of 11 Chinese nationals by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos has brought the issue of cyber fraud, identity theft, and attempts to destabilize Nigeria’s constitutional structure into the spotlight once again. The defendants, who pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against them, were presented before the Federal High Court in Lagos as part of the ongoing crackdown on foreign nationals involved in illicit activities in the country.
This development comes hot on the heels of the recent arraignment of 42 Chinese and Filipinos on similar charges before the same court. The EFCC stated that these arrests were made during a raid known as the “Eagle Flush Operation” conducted on December 19, 2024, in Lagos, as part of a broader effort to tackle cybercrimes and related offenses.
Among the arraigned individuals are Wang Xiong Wei (alias Xiao Bai), Chen Dong Dong (alias Cun Zhao), Chen Yuan (alias Xiao Doa), Wu Yuan An (alias Zeng Niu), Wang Gong Lin (alias Wang Jing Lin), and Weng Mao Rong (alias A Xiang). They face separate charges related to cybercrimes, cyberterrorism, possession of fraudulent documents, and identity theft, according to the EFCC.
Furthermore, five other Chinese nationals, Liu Ke Fan (alias Lina, Lui Chen), Huang Hai Tao, Zhang Jian Feng, Wu A Wang, and Xiao Xin, were also brought before the court. Liu Ke Fan, in particular, was accused of impersonating a 28-year-old American named Lina living in Germany in a romance scam and cryptocurrency fraud operation.
Prosecutors alleged that Liu Ke Fan created a fake profile on his company’s Maya desktop computer to deceive and defraud others, including the impersonation of a U.S. citizen. The EFCC emphasized that these individuals were part of a larger syndicate of 792 individuals engaged in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams, with operations reaching into Nigeria.
During the court proceedings, EFCC prosecutors M.K. Bashir and R.A. Abdulrasheed detailed how the accused persons accessed computer systems with the aim of destabilizing Nigeria’s constitutional structure. They allegedly recruited Nigerian youths for identity theft schemes, presenting them as foreigners to gain financial benefits.
The EFCC also accused the defendants of providing false information during the investigation and violating various sections of the Cybercrimes Act and the EFCC Establishment Act. The defendants maintained their innocence in response to the charges brought against them, leading to their remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending trial.
The court scheduled further hearings for February 21 and March 7, 2025, as the legal process unfolds for these foreign nationals accused of engaging in cyber fraud and related offenses in Nigeria. The EFCC’s crackdown on such activities reflects the agency’s commitment to combating cybercrimes and protecting the country’s financial and cybersecurity interests.