In a sweeping crackdown on organized cybercrime, Nigeria has deported 102 foreign nationals, including 60 Chinese and 39 Filipinos, who were convicted of involvement in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, the country’s anti-corruption watchdog announced on Thursday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmed that the deportations followed convictions secured after a high-profile raid in December 2024, in which hundreds of suspected cybercriminals were arrested in Victoria Island, an upscale district in Lagos.
Among those deported were also two citizens of Kazakhstan and one Tunisian, bringing the total number of foreign nationals repatriated since August 15 to 102. The EFCC said additional deportations are expected in the coming days as more cases are concluded.
“This is part of our intensified efforts to dismantle transnational cybercrime networks operating within Nigeria’s borders,” said Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson.
The deportees were among 792 individuals arrested during the December operation, which EFCC described as one of the largest cybercrime busts in Nigerian history. Of those arrested 192 were foreign nationals, including 148 Chinese citizens, most of whom were later found to be members of an international fraud ring targeting individuals across North America and Europe.
The suspects were accused of phishing attacks, social engineering scams, and identity theft — typically used to dupe victims into transferring funds or divulging personal credentials like passwords and banking information.
Photographs released by EFCC showed rows of masked Asian men lining up at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport, escorted by Nigerian officials as they were processed for deportation.
While Nigeria is already grappling with domestic internet fraudsters — infamously known as “Yahoo Boys” — this wave of foreign-led cybercrime has raised new concerns about international syndicates using Nigeria as a base.
“These criminal networks are no longer just local. They’re highly organized, often operating across multiple countries, and are now recruiting young Nigerians as accomplices,” Oyewale added.
Investigations revealed that foreign fraud rings often set up operational bases in high-end neighborhoods, where they train locals in cybercrime techniques and provide access to digital infrastructure and tools used for international scams.
Cybersecurity experts warn that Nigeria’s relatively weak online infrastructure, lack of digital literacy, and slow legal response mechanisms have made it a soft target for transnational cybercrime syndicates.
“Until Nigeria strengthens its cyber laws and enforcement capabilities, foreign fraud rings will continue to see the country as fertile ground for operations,” said Samuel Adebayo, a cybersecurity analyst based in Abuja.
The EFCC has pledged to increase surveillance and cross-border cooperation to combat the rise in foreign-led cybercrime. According to the agency, deportation and prosecution are just part of a larger strategy to clean up Nigeria’s digital space and restore international confidence in the country’s regulatory environment.
