The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday said five Chinese men were jailed for cyber-terrorism, internet fraud and destabilisation of the Nigerian economy.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on Tuesday, announced it secured the “conviction and sentence of five Chinese, Guo Qiang (aka Wu You You), Yang Shumei, Guo Zhi Yong, Zhang Gia Feng and Lu Yi Liang, before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu at a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court.”

One of the charges reads: “That you, Guo Qiang (aka Wu You You) sometime in December 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourabe court, wilfully caused to be accessed computer system for the purpose of destabilising and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024),” the EFCC said.

It added, “The five defendants were sentenced to one year imprisonment, with a fine of N1,000,000.00 (one million naira).”

According to the anti-graft agency, the five Chinese convicted fraudsters were among the 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested in Lagos on December 19, 2024, during a sting operation.

Justice Dehinde Dipeolu also ordered that the convicts be immediately deported by the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to their country upon completion of their sentences.