Fifteen Chinese nationals, two Filipinos, and a Pakistani have been convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment for cyberterrorism and internet-related offences by the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, the Centre of Excellence (Lagos).
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed the convictions in a statement issued on Friday. The judgment was delivered on Thursday, June 19, and Friday, June 20, 2025, by Justices Chukwujekwu Aneke, Ayokunle Faji, and Yellim Bogoro.
The convicted individuals are Peng Li Huan, Zhang Jin Rong, He Kun, Rachelle Cabalona, Caselyn Pionela, Guo Long Long, Zhang Hua Zhai, Lin Hao Bo, Chen Fusheng, Chen Dong Dong, Wang Gong Lin, Pan Cai Yu, Huang Ren Jian, Zhang Xiao Lei, Khurram Shahzad, Chen Yuan, Wu Yong An, and Chen Xin.
They were arraigned on separate charges under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024) and the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022. One of the charges detailed how a defendant, Caselyn Pionela, in December 2024, manipulated computer systems and engaged Nigerian youths in identity theft to pose as foreigners for illicit financial gains.
All 18 individuals pleaded guilty to the charges. Following their admission, prosecution counsel—Spiff Owede, Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, Chinenye Okezie, Ebuka Okongwu, B.M Isah, and Nambam Mutfwang urged the court to convict them and approve the forfeiture of items recovered during investigations.
The court upheld the prosecution’s request, sentencing each convict to a year in prison with an option of a ₦1,000,000 fine. The court further directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to deport the convicts within seven days of completing their jail terms.
Recovered exhibits are to be forfeited to the Federal Government. The convicted group is part of a larger number—792 suspects apprehended by the EFCC in connection with cyber-related crimes.
