The EFCC has arraigned three individuals, including two Chinese nationals and a Nigerian, in a significant cyber-terrorism and money laundering case involving over N3.4 billion and US$2.56 million. Accused of orchestrating a sophisticated fraud scheme, they face serious charges in a trial expected to impact future cybercrime laws in Nigeria.
IKOYI, Lagos — In a dramatic turn of events that has sent shockwaves across Lagos and beyond, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned three key figures in a sprawling cyber-terrorism and money laundering case amounting to over N3.4 billion and US$2.56 million.
The defendants – two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, and Nigerian Audu Friday – face 11 serious counts at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi before Justice Daniel Osiagor.
The case, which is widely seen as a landmark in Nigeria’s relentless crackdown on cybercrime, centres on an intricate scheme allegedly designed to destabilise the nation’s economic and social fabric.
According to the charge sheet, the trio is accused of conspiring with a syndicate of 792 suspects – all apprehended in a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” on December 19, 2024 – to perpetrate a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud scam.
Prosecutors allege that the accused exploited the vulnerabilities of modern digital platforms by recruiting Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as foreign nationals.
One of the explosive counts in the indictment details how the conspirators accessed computer systems with the specific intent of destabilising the Nigerian economy, an offence falling under Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015 (as amended in 2024).
The charge further states that the defendants, in collusion with a notorious figure now at large – Duliang Pan – set out to secure a financial advantage by orchestrating high-tech deceptions.
Adding further intrigue to the case, it is claimed that Audu Friday, a local figure, allegedly facilitated the incorporation of Genting International Co. Ltd on instructions from Huang Haoyu.
This move, prosecutors assert, was part of a broader strategy to launder illicit proceeds.
One count in the indictment charges the defendants with unlawfully retaining N3,407,824,740.78 and US$2,562,203 in a Genting International Co. Ltd account held at Union Bank, thereby contravening critical provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In a courtroom charged with tension and anticipation, all three defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read. The prosecution, led by counsel Bilkisu Buhari, pressed for a swift trial and the remand of the accused in EFCC custody.
In a contentious exchange, defence counsel Emeka Okonkwo, SAN, argued for the defendants to remain in custody pending the hearing of their bail applications.
Justice Osiagor, weighing the serious nature of the charges and the risk posed to public order, opted to remand the trio in EFCC custody while adjournment was granted for the hearing of the bail applications.
This high-profile case not only highlights Nigeria’s ongoing battle against cyber-terrorism and sophisticated financial fraud but also underscores the international dimension of modern cybercrime.
With suspects hailing from different nationalities, the incident serves as a stark reminder of how digital platforms can be manipulated for nefarious purposes, transcending borders and defying conventional law enforcement paradigms.
Analysts suggest that the outcome of this trial could set a significant precedent for future cases, reinforcing the message that no criminal – local or foreign – is above the law.
As the nation and the global community watch closely, the EFCC’s vigorous enforcement efforts reaffirm Nigeria’s determination to secure its digital and financial domains from the scourge of cybercrime.
- Additional report from Omonigho Macaulay, Atlantic Post National Correspondent
