The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos has successfully jailed eight Chinese nationals for their roles in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud. This judgment was delivered by Justice Dehinde Dipeolu at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi on July 1, 2025.
Those convicted include Guo Qiang (also known as Wu You You), Yang Shumei, Guo Zhi Yong, Zhang Gia Feng, and Lu Yi Liang. They were part of a large cybercrime syndicate arrested in December 2024 during a major EFCC sting operation called the “Eagle Flush Operation.”
The group was caught for being involved in fake cryptocurrency investment schemes and online romance scams. During the arrest, the EFCC took down 792 suspects from the operation in Lagos.
Each of the suspects was charged separately with crimes related to cyber-terrorism and internet fraud. One of the charges stated that Guo Qiang deliberately accessed a computer system to damage Nigeria’s economy and society, which violates the Cybercrime Act.
At first, they denied the charges. But during their court appearance on Tuesday, they all changed their pleas from “not guilty” to “guilty.”
Following this, the EFCC’s lawyer, U.S. Kyari, asked the judge to convict them based on their guilty pleas. The court agreed and sentenced each of them to one year in prison. They were also ordered to pay a fine of one million naira each.
Justice Dipeolu also ruled that after they finish serving their jail time, the Nigeria Immigration Service should deport them back to their home country within seven days.
