Nigeria deports 50 Chinese nationals convicted of cybercrime

Nigeria has deported 50 Chinese nationals and one Tunisian convicted of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, as part of a sweeping crackdown on foreign-led cybercrime networks, the country’s anti-graft agency said on Thursday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), working with the Nigerian Immigration Service, said a total of 102 people have now been deported since the clampdown began on 15 August.

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EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said the Tunisian and Chinese citizens were among nearly 200 foreign nationals arrested in Lagos during a raid on one of the country’s largest cybercrime syndicates.

Late last year, the EFCC detained almost 800 people in a Lagos building believed to be a hub for online fraudsters. The suspects allegedly lured victims with fake romantic relationships before persuading them to invest in non-existent cryptocurrency schemes.