Cybercrime: Nigerian Court Jails Five Foreigners, Orders Deportation

The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted five foreign nationals for their involvement in cybercrime, sentencing them to three years’ imprisonment each.

Justice Emeka Nwite, who delivered the judgment on Tuesday, handed down the jail terms after the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them. The court, however, offered each of the convicts an option of a fine of ₦1 million in lieu of serving the prison sentence.

Justice Nwite further ordered that the convicts be deported from Nigeria immediately after completing their prison terms or upon payment of the fine.

The five convicts are among 108 foreign nationals currently facing prosecution by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) over allegations of cybercrime, money laundering, and activities deemed to pose a threat to Nigeria’s national security.

According to court documents, the defendants were arrested during a nationwide crackdown on transnational cybercrime syndicates operating within Nigeria’s borders.

Security agencies had intensified surveillance in response to the surge in online fraud, identity theft, and related financial crimes targeting both individuals and institutions.

The conviction is seen as part of Nigeria’s renewed efforts to combat cybercrime and strengthen international cooperation against cross-border criminal networks.

Legal experts noted that while the option of a fine may serve as a deterrent for some offenders, the deportation order underscores the government’s determination to rid the country of foreign nationals engaging in unlawful activities.

Authorities have assured that trials for the remaining foreign suspects will proceed without delay, as Nigeria steps up its crackdown on cybercriminals threatening its economic stability and global reputation.