The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, February 20, 2025, arraigned 18 additional Chinese nationals before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
They are: Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Deng Wei Qiang, Fu Min, Qin Xiao Yong, Li Dong, Li De Wen, Luo Mao Yang, Zhao Xiao Hui, Du Ji Feng, Liu Hai Rong, Liu Ni Ni, Liu Gang, Sun Qi, Zhang Jian, Peng Fa Li, and Huo Wen Jie.
They are among the 792-member cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 10, 2024, in Lagos, in a sting operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” by EFCC operatives.
The suspects were arraigned on separate charges, bordering on cybercrimes, cyberterrorism, possession of documents containing false pretense, and identity theft.
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One of the charges read: “That you, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Genting International Co. Ltd., and A. Dao (at large), sometime in December 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired among yourselves to commit an offense, to wit: cause to be accessed, computer systems for the purpose of destabilizing and destroying the economic and social structure of Nigeria, and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 27 (1) (b) and punishable under Section 18 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015.”
They all pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to them, following which the prosecution counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, asked the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in the appropriate correctional center.
Justice Osiagor adjourned the matter till May 5, 2025, for trial and ordered that they be remanded at the correctional custodial center.
