On February 4, 2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned 11 Chinese nationals before the Federal High Court in Lagos. The individuals face charges related to cyber fraud, identity theft, and attempts to destabilize Nigeria’s constitutional structure. These charges stem from an investigation and subsequent raid, called the “Eagle Flush Operation,” conducted on December 19, 2024, in Lagos. The defendants, some of whom were accused of recruiting Nigerian youths for fraudulent activities, all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The accused include several individuals with aliases, and the charges cover a range of cyber-related crimes, such as cyberterrorism and possession of fraudulent documents. The EFCC also mentioned the involvement of a larger syndicate of 792 people, engaged in cryptocurrency fraud and romance scams. For example, one defendant, Liu Ke Fan, was specifically accused of impersonating a U.S. citizen in a romance scam operation.
The case is set to proceed with further hearings in February and March 2025, with the defendants remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos while awaiting trial.
