The Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced eight foreign nationals on cybercrime charges following guilty pleas entered during trial proceedings.
The judgment was delivered on Friday, 4 July 2025, by Chukwujekwu Aneke, in proceedings instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Court records show that the defendants were arraigned on separate counts relating to offences under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015. During the proceedings, the defendants changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty. Following the plea change, prosecuting counsel urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants in accordance with the law.
In his ruling, Justice Aneke convicted each defendant and sentenced them to one year’s imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of ₦1 million on each defendant and ordered the forfeiture of items recovered during the investigation to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The court further directed the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service to arrange for the deportation of the defendants to their country of origin within seven days after the completion of their respective prison terms.
The convictions followed arrests carried out in Lagos in December 2024 during an operation conducted by the EFCC, which led to the prosecution of the eight defendants before the court.
What Next:
– Defendants to serve custodial sentences as ordered by the court.
– Deportation to be effected within seven days after completion of prison terms, in compliance with the court’s directive.
