*The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigator reveals the cybercrime syndicate allegedly recruited, trained, and equipped Nigerian youths with specially configured laptops and mobile devices to carry out scripted scams targeting victims online

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Justice Deinde Dipeolu if the Federal High Court Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Lagos State, ordered the interim forfeiture of over 5,600 assets, including laptops, phones, vehicles, and home appliances earlier seized from cybercriminals.

绿帽献妻 reports Justice Dipeolu granted the order for forfeiture of the items, following an ex parte application by EFCC lawyer Bima Isah.

Scores of the suspected cyberfraudsters the EFCC arrested in Lagos

Earlier, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives had confiscated the said items slated for forfeiture to the Federal Government from the accused persons during a raid on a cybercrime hideout on Victoria Island, Lagos.

The EFCC, in 2024, had disclosed its operatives recovered the assets in a surprise sting operation, code-named Eagle Flush executed December last year.

The sting operation at the time led to the arrest of 792 suspects, including 193 foreign nationals and 599 Nigerians in the process.

Details of seized items for final forfeiture

The EFCC noted its operatives had recovered the items from a building identified as Big Leaf Building, located at No. 7, Oyinjolayemi Street, Victoria Island, in Lagos.

According to the anti-graft regulatory Commission, the building was allegedly the headquarters of an international cybercrime ring led by Chinese and Filipino nationals operating under the name Genting International Co. Limited.

Subsequently, the court, last year, directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national daily to allow any interested parties to come forward within 14 days and show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Among the items seized that are affected by the interim forfeiture order are 1,596 laptops and computers, 4,091 mobile phones, seven vehicles, 3,399 SIM Cards comprising 1,122 MTN, 316 9mobile, 1,277 Airtel, and 684 Glo, 194 routers, 129 air-conditioning units, and dozens of household items including refrigerators, mattresses, sofas, and kitchen appliances.

Besides, the court also listed other technology and office equipment, including 43 CPUs/monitors, a network server, 21 UPS units, and 558 office tables, alongside utility items, including inverters, generators, gas cylinders, and a transformer.

鈥�How the syndicate worked,鈥� by Investigator

In a supporting affidavit during the trial of the suspects, EFCC investigator Kaina Garba stated that the syndicate allegedly recruited and trained Nigerian youths in romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and other cybercrimes.

The recruited Nigerians allegedly, were equipped with specially configured laptops and mobile devices to carry out scripted scams targeting victims online.

Officer Garba said: 鈥淭hat upon investigation, preliminary investigation revealed that an organised crime syndicate of Chinese nationals operating under the name and style of the Respondent is recruiting and training Nigerian youths in computer-related fraud and other cyber-fraud-related activities.

鈥淭hat in the course of the investigation, operatives of the Applicant took inventories of items recovered from the said premises suspected to be instrumentalities of the criminal activities of the Respondent and its alter egos.”

The investigator also explained: 鈥淭hat several foreign nationals, as well as Nigerians, totalling 761 suspects, were arrested and brought to the office of the Commission for investigation.

鈥淭hat the suspected leaders and financiers of this criminal syndicate, up until the filing of this application still at large but are being trailed by the Operatives of the applicant.”

Why seeking forfeiture order, by EFCC

Highlighting the rationale for asking the court for the interim forfeiture, the EFCC said the move was to prevent the dissipation or tampering of evidence in the case.

The Commission noted that some of the arrested suspects had already been arraigned before at least five judges of the Federal High Court, while others, including the suspected masterminds, are in the run.

According to EFCC, since February 2025, it has arraigned different batches of the suspects for alleged internet and cryptocurrency fraud.

The Commission stated the suspects included 148 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, two Kharzartans, one Pakistani, and an Indonesian, were arrested in a surprise crackdown dubbed the 鈥楨agle Flush Operation.鈥�

The Commission further stated that it arraigned the suspects before Justice Dipeolu on charges of cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, possession of documents containing false pretence and identity theft, among others.

But, they each pleaded 鈥渘ot guilty鈥� to the charges read to them in court, according to report.

Justice Dipeolu, in his ruling, said he had read the motion, attachments, and found sufficient merit in the application.

The trial Judge, therefore, ruled: 鈥淐onsequently, the motion succeeds and is hereby granted.”

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