Court Imposes 46-Year Sentences in Landmark N3.4bn Cyberterrorism Case
A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has delivered a significant verdict, sentencing two Chinese nationals to 46 years’ imprisonment each for cyberterrorism and internet fraud. The convictions, secured by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), relate to a sophisticated scheme involving over N3.4 billion and $2.5 million. This ruling underscores the judiciary’s firm stance against high-level financial cybercrime, a persistent challenge even as authorities focus on other areas, from rebooting tax reform: bridging the trust gap to operations by the NDLEA busts Colorado drug networks.
Justice Daniel Osiagor convicted Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu on February 11, 2026, after they pleaded guilty to amended charges of cyberterrorism, internet fraud, and money laundering. Their prosecution followed a massive 2024 crackdown, dubbed “Eagle Flush Operation,” which targeted a Lagos-based syndicate. The operation, which led to 792 arrests, revealed a network using fake online personas to lure global victims into fraudulent cryptocurrency investments. A third defendant, Friday Audu, who allegedly incorporated a company to facilitate the fraud, maintained a not-guilty plea.
The case highlights the evolving threat of transnational cybercrime. The EFCC detailed how Nigerian accomplices were trained to create deceptive profiles on social platforms to pose as foreign professionals or romantic partners, defrauding victims across North America and Europe. This conviction is a key milestone in Nigeria’s fight against cyber-enabled financial crimes, demonstrating the same rigorous investigative approach seen in diverse sectors, from monitoring the NGX exchange traded funds to addressing complex security matters.
This successful prosecution is part of a broader, sustained effort by Nigerian anti-graft agencies. Prior to this sentence, the EFCC had arrested 120 suspected internet fraudsters in Lagos in May 2025 and 28 alleged Ponzi scheme operators in Minna. Such coordinated actions reflect a dedicated strategy to safeguard the nation’s financial integrity, a priority that parallels other governmental initiatives, including the ongoing work on rebooting tax reform: bridging the trust gap and security measures akin to when Tinubu seized Benin artifacts.
