Lagos Court Approves Interim Forfeiture of Assets Linked to Chinese Cyber-Crime Group

A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, has ordered the interim forfeiture of 73 properties and thousands of electronic devices tied to a suspected cyber-terrorism and internet fraud syndicate allegedly involving Chinese nationals.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, April 17, 2025, followed an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Genting International Co. Justice Deinde Dipeolu, presiding over the case, granted the order, which encompasses a wide range of items, including 1,596 laptops, 4,091 mobile phones, 350 foreign SIM cards, and 3,399 Nigerian SIM cards, including 1,122 MTN, 316 9mobile, 1,277 Airtel, and 684 Glo SIM cards.

In a statement from Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media & Publicity, additional forfeited items included 194 routers, 205 sofas, 501 bunk beds, 754 mattresses, refrigerators, microwaves, vehicles, deep freezers, and various household and office appliances.

These items were seized during a surprise raid, codenamed “Eagle Flush Operation,” carried out on December 10, 2024, in Lagos. During the operation, 792 individuals were arrested, suspected of involvement in cryptocurrency scams and romance fraud schemes.

Justice Dipeolu stated that the motion filed by the EFCC contained sufficient merit, leading to the approval of the interim forfeiture. The court further instructed that the forfeiture order be published in a national newspaper to allow interested parties 14 days to challenge the ruling.

The EFCC continues to pursue efforts to dismantle the international syndicate involved in these illicit activities.