The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately appeal judgments of courts in Nigeria on economic sabotage offences that on the face of the verdicts of the Federal High Court for slamming soft sentences to Chinese and Filipinos charged for cybercrime.
According to the rights body, the pronouncements that such convicts should only be deported rather that face the appropriate custodial terms in Nigerian prisons, contradict the statute books.
HURIWA, according to it’s national Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, nevertheless, commended EFCC investigators for successfully uncovering the groundbreaking forensic evidence that led to the conviction of the Chinese and Filipinos for the series of fraudulent crimes in Nigeria.
HURIWA recalled that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) reportedly commenced the deportation of 192 foreigners convicted of internet fraud and Ponzi Scheme offences.
The first batch, comprising 42 Chinese and Filipinos, were flown out through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, around 2 pm, yesterday, August 18th.
The remaining 150 will follow suit between today and tomorrow, Wednesday.
A Federal High Court in Lagos had jailed the 42 Chinese and Filipinos for one year each after they entered plea bargain pacts with the EFCC.
They were fined N1 million each by the court, which also directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to repatriate them to their countries of origin within seven days on completion of the jail term.
In July, the anti-graft agency, which in December 2024 nabbed them and other 600 Nigerians, in building on Victoria Island, Lagos, secured final forfeiture of $222,729 digital assets seized from some of them.
The foreigners were said to be using the building on Oyin Jolayemi to “train Nigerians on how to initiate romance and investment scams.”
According to court documents, the syndicate’s company, Genting International Co. Limited, received more than N2.26 billion between April and December last year.
Acting on the court order, the EFCC stated that: ‘’The Nigerian Immigration Service will today (18th, August, 2025), deport 42 out of the 192 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted for cyber terrorism and Ponzi scheme offences back to their home countries.
‘’The first batch of deportees, scheduled to leave Nigeria at exactly 2 pm. local time, were among 759 persons arrested during a major raid on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
‘’Other deportees will depart Nigeria on Monday(today) and Tuesday respectively and will be airlifted back to their countries.
‘’All the convicts were handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service for deportation.
HURIWA however condemned the Federal High Court “seemingly harmless punishment on the foreign criminals rather than abide by the provisions of the extant laws on cybercrimes,” should push the EFCC ought to immediately appealed judgment rather than let the Nigerian Immigration Service escorts the criminals like kings and queens to board the plane airlifting them for deportations to China and the Philippines.
HURIWA then wondered how the Federal High Court has allowed these criminals described by the EFCC as dangerous, to get away with mere light sentences and deportation even as Nigerians in China, Philippines or other foreign jurisdictions who are convicted for even the smallest crimes, are first of all subjected to harsh prison/custodial detention in those jurisdictions, and then deported like common criminals in handcuffs, after serving their sentences in those countries whereby the crimes happened.
HURIWA said it is aware that Nigeria and the UK signed an agreement providing for the transfer of prisoners between the two States.
This Agreement was one of the key objectives of the communiqué issued by President Jonathan and Prime Minister Cameron following their meeting in 2011.
The Agreement will allow Nigerians who commit crimes in the United Kingdom, and Britons who commit crimes in Nigeria, to serve their sentences in their own country, where they can be properly prepared for release into the community in which they will live following their release.
HURIWA however condemned the lesser punishments awarded the Chinese and Filipino criminals in Nigeria because Nigerians in China or Philippine who commit offences and convicted served long harsh sentences in China, Philippine and other jurisdiction.
