EFCC has deported 192 foreigners convicted for cybercrime and internet fraud in Lagos.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), has successfully deported 192 foreign nationals convicted of cybercrime, internet fraud, and related financial offences in Lagos.
The EFCC confirmed the deportation in a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, noting that the coordinated operation was completed in phases between August and mid-October 2025.
ALSO: Lagos Tenants Struggle as Agents, Lawyers Flout 10% Fee Cap Despite Government Warnings
According to the Commission, the deported individuals included nationals from China, the Philippines, Tunisia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Timor-Leste.
The deportations follow the EFCC’s December 10, 2024, raid on a seven-storey building known as the Big Leaf Building, located at No. 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Acting on credible intelligence, EFCC operatives stormed the facility which appeared to be a legitimate corporate office and arrested 792 suspects, including 148 Chinese, 40 Filipinos, two Kyrgyzstan nationals, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian.
Investigators discovered over 500 SIM cards, numerous high-end computers, and digital tools used for large-scale cyber fraud operations.
According to EFCC findings, the syndicate operated under the name Genting International Co. Limited, training Nigerian accomplices to impersonate foreigners and lure victims mainly from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe through phishing and romance scams.
Victims were eventually directed to invest in a fake platform, yooto.com, where they were defrauded through bogus investment schemes with activation fees starting at $35.
Details of the Deportation Exercise
The EFCC said the mass deportation followed court convictions secured at the Federal High Court, Lagos, for offences including cybercrime, money laundering, and Ponzi scheme operations.
The first batch of 42 convicts mainly Chinese and Filipino nationals was deported on August 15, 2025, with subsequent batches repatriated throughout August and September.
The final batch, consisting of 51 convicts (50 Chinese and one Tunisian), was deported on October 16, 2025, bringing the total to 192 deportees.
The EFCC explained that all deported convicts had served part of their sentences before being repatriated in line with court directives and immigration procedures.
Investigations revealed that the foreign convicts played critical roles in training recruits, designing fraudulent digital platforms, and coordinating cyber-enabled Ponzi schemes that defrauded victims both locally and internationally.
The Commission said the completion of the deportation marks a major milestone in its efforts to combat transnational financial crimes and restore confidence in Nigeria’s cybercrime enforcement framework.
