EFCC partners with NIS to deport foreign nationals over cybercrime in Nigeria

By Yahaya Idris

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in partnership with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has deported 51 foreign nationals convicted of cybercrime in Nigeria.

This group includes 50 Chinese nationals and one Tunisian. These deportations are part of a larger exercise that began on August 15, 2025.

This latest action brings the total number of convicted foreign nationals deported since the crackdown began to 102.

The convicts were originally among 192 foreign nationals arrested during a major sting operation by the EFCC in Lagos, targeting one of the largest foreign-led cybercrime syndicates in Nigeria.

The syndicate ran extensive cyber fraud and Ponzi schemes, using fake identities online to defraud victims.

The operation also uncovered cyber rings operating from luxury apartments and tech hubs in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.

Earlier in the operation, 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals were deported. Further deportations are expected as the operation continues.

This initiative is in line with the President Bola Tinubu-led government’s anti-corruption drive even as Nigeria intensified efforts to combat cybercrime, recover stolen funds, and restore national integrity

The EFCC stressed that the deportations reinforce Nigeria’s stance against international cybercriminals, adding that the exercise sends “a strong message” that the nation’s digital space will not be allowed to serve as a hub for criminal activity.

The commission also disclosed that additional deportations will follow as the operation continues.