A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria has remanded 42 foreign nationals, including 29 Chinese, 10 Filipinos, and three others, in Ikoyi and Kirikiri Correctional Centres over allegations of cyber fraud and related crimes.
The defendants, who also include one Malaysian, an Indonesian, and a Pakistani, were arraigned on Monday by the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justices Ayokunle Faji, D.I. Dipeolu, Alexander Owoeye, and C.J. Aneke. They were charged alongside a company, Genting International Company Limited.
The suspects were allegedly part of a syndicate of 792 individuals arrested on December 19, 2024, during an EFCC operation dubbed “Eagle Flush Operation.” They face multiple charges, including cybercrimes, cyberterrorism, impersonation, identity theft, and possession of fraudulent documents.
According to one of the charges, the defendants allegedly recruited Nigerian youths for identity theft, posing as foreigners to gain financial advantage, thereby violating sections of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecuting counsel, including L.P. Aso, M.K. Bashir, N.K. Ukoha, and others, urged the court to set trial dates and order their remand in custody.
Following the plea, Justice Faji adjourned the matter to February 10, 11, 17, 18, and 19, 2025. Other judges set separate dates throughout February and March for trial proceedings.
