Nigeria has deported more than 100 foreigners convicted of cybercrime offenses, in one of the country’s largest crackdowns on international fraud syndicates. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmed on Thursday that 102 individuals, among them 60 Chinese nationals and 39 Filipinos, were repatriated for their involvement in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
The EFCC initially announced the deportation of 50 Chinese nationals, but later clarified that an additional 10 Chinese, along with two Kazakhstanis, had also been expelled since August 15. The agency noted that more deportations are expected in the coming days.
Images released by the EFCC showed Asian men in surgical masks lining up at Lagos airport check-in counters under the watch of Nigerian officials.
The mass deportations follow a sweeping raid carried out last December in Lagos’s upscale Victoria Island district, where authorities arrested 792 suspected cybercriminals. Of those, 192 were foreign nationals, including 148 Chinese. Investigators said the suspects were part of organized gangs running elaborate online scams.
According to the EFCC, these foreign-led syndicates often collaborate with Nigerian accomplices commonly referred to as “Yahoo Boys” to target unsuspecting victims abroad. Using phishing schemes, the fraudsters trick individuals into transferring money or disclosing sensitive personal information, such as passwords and banking details. Victims have largely been based in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has long battled the scourge of internet fraud. While local scammers have become notorious, authorities warn that international cybercrime networks are increasingly exploiting the country’s porous digital safeguards and weak enforcement systems.
“The presence of foreign syndicates in Nigeria shows the evolving nature of cybercrime,” EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale told AFP. “We are committed to dismantling these networks and ensuring justice.”
Cybersecurity experts argue that Nigeria’s growing role as a hub for online fraud demands urgent reforms, including stronger cyber laws, better enforcement capacity, and cross-border intelligence sharing.
With the latest deportations, Nigerian authorities are sending a strong message that the country will no longer serve as a haven for global cybercrime syndicates.
