Cybercrime Offences Land 59 Foreign Nationals In Jail

About 59 foreign national of China and Malaysian origin have landed in jail over their alleged involvement in cybercrime.

They were among the 130 suspects arrested during a police raid on a building in the Jahi area of Abuja on November 3, 2024, by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre.

The Federal High Court in Abuja convicted them of the offences, a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Thursday stated.

According to the statement, the suspects included 113 foreigners and 17 Nigerians accused of large-scale internet fraud, sophisticated hacking, and other offences threatening the country’s cybersecurity.

Twenty-one members of the syndicate were earlier sentenced in August 2025, while five others were convicted in September.

“In furtherance of the Nigeria Police Force’s sustained efforts in combating all forms of cybercrimes and safeguarding national security, the Nigeria Police Force, through its National Cybercrime Centre, has recorded another milestone with the conviction of an additional fifty-nine (59) foreign nationals, in continuation of the prosecution of members of a high-profile international cybercrime syndicate uncovered in Abuja in November 2024.

“On Saturday, 3rd November 2024, acting on credible and actionable intelligence, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, carried out a well-coordinated cyber-operation on a building located in Jahi, Abuja.

“The operation, which formed part of a broader national cybercrime crackdown, led to the arrest of 130 suspects, comprising 113 foreign nationals of Chinese and Malaysian origin and 17 Nigerians. These individuals were implicated in various cyber offences, including large-scale internet fraud, sophisticated hacking operations, and other cybercriminal activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s national cybersecurity.”

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According to the statement, digital forensic evidence linking the convicts to cybercrimes, confirmed the the involvement of the suspects to the crimes.

Stating that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, described the development as another major step in the force’s effort to combat cybercrime in Nigeria, he added:

“He emphasises that these convictions send a strong and clear message to both local and international cybercriminal networks that Nigeria will not serve as a safe haven for cybercriminal enterprises.

“IGP Egbetokun further assures members of the public that the Force will continue to leverage cutting-edge technology, strengthen international collaborations, and sustain diligent investigative and prosecutorial processes to dismantle organized cybercrime networks and bring perpetrators to justice.”