LAGOS, Nigeria – Four Chinese nationals were arraigned on charges of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud in Lagos on Tuesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The defendants, part of an alleged 792-member syndicate involved in cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud, were arrested during the ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ in Lagos on December 10, 2024.
The accused, Xia Guang Can, Li Xu Xin, Zhang Xue Hui, and Lu Yubo, appeared before Justices M. Kakaki and Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court. While Xia, Li, and Zhang faced one-count charges each before Justice Kakaki, Lu Yubo was charged with two counts before Justice Faji.
The charges against the defendants include internet fraud, cyber-terrorism, possession of false documents, advance fee fraud, and identity theft. Specifically, Zhang Xue Hui is accused of causing access to a computer system used to destabilize Nigeria’s economy and social structure, while Lu Yubo allegedly employed Nigerian youths in identity theft and computer fraud.
All four defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, and their counsel requested a short adjournment to file bail applications. Prosecution counsels Fanen Anum and Ahmed Yerima requested trial dates and remanded the defendants in a correctional facility pending their trials.
Justice Kakaki adjourned the trial for March 18, 2025, and ordered the three defendants to remain in detention, while Justice Faji set trial dates for March 31 and April 3, 2025, and remanded Lu Yubo in the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
