Metro

Court Remands 13 Chinese Nationals Over Cybercrime, Security Breach

Published

5 months ago

February 1, 2025

A Federal High Court in Lagos has remanded 13 Chinese nationals and a company, Genting International Co. Limited, on charges of alleged impersonation, fraud, and attempts to destabilise Nigeria’s constitutional structure.

Justice Denide Dipeolu issued the remand order on Friday after the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The defendants, who were arraigned before the court, include Wang Zheng Ming, Li Yin Hui, Xiao Hong Will, Wang Jia Qi (a.k.a. Xiao Tian), Long Shao Ming (a.k.a. You), and Zhang Xiao Lei.

Others are Liu San Hua, Chen Wenyuan (a.k.a. Lee05mx20), Yang Sheng (Madison), Rheeigh De La Vega (a.k.a. Rheignalyn), and Guo Xiao Fei.

They were among the suspects arrested on 10 December 2024 at their hideout on No. 7 Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The EFCC acted on credible intelligence linking them to cybercrime and fraudulent activities.

The EFCC’s legal team, led by Director of Legal Aso Peters, filed charges against the defendants under Sections 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024).

After the charges were read to the defendants individually, they all pleaded not guilty, except for Wang Zheng Ming, who rejected the EFCC-appointed lawyer and requested time to hire his own legal representation.

Following their pleas, Justice Dipeolu scheduled trial dates for 3, 14, and 21 February 2025.

He ordered the defendants to be held at correctional facilities pending trial.

The two female defendants were remanded at Kirikiri Female Correctional Centre, while the others were taken to Ikoyi Correctional Centre.

One specific defendant, Liu San Hua, was accused of facilitating identity theft by hiring Nigerian youths to impersonate foreign nationals to gain financial advantage.

This act is said to have violated Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015.

Several of the charges include allegations of using fake identities online to defraud victims, training employees of Genting International Co. Limited in fraudulent practices, and other offences under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

According to the EFCC, the charges highlight serious offences aimed at undermining Nigeria’s security and financial integrity through cybercrime and fraudulent activities.

Liu San Hua and Genting International Co. Limited allegedly facilitated identity theft by employing Nigerian youths to pose as foreign nationals, violating Section 18 of the Cybercrimes Act.

Zhang Xiao Lei and Genting International Co. Limited were accused of using computer systems to commit cybercrimes aimed at destabilising Nigeria’s constitutional structure.

The EFCC stated that sometime in December 2024, Wang Zheng Feng (also known as A. Feng) allegedly accessed computer systems to harm Nigeria’s economy and social structure. He was said to have employed Nigerian youths for identity theft, presenting them as foreign nationals to gain financial advantage—an offence that violated both the Cybercrimes

Act and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Luo Jia You (also known as You) was charged with providing false information to EFCC investigators, misleading them about his identity to conceal his involvement in a syndicate specialising in romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and cyber terrorism.

In an attempt to mislead investigators, Luo Jia You allegedly misrepresented his name as A. You—an offence contrary to Section 39(2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004, and punishable under Section 39(2)(b) of the same Act.

The Commission told the court that sometime in December 2024, Guo Xiao Fei, with intent to gain financial advantage for his employer, fraudulently impersonated a French national named Alani by presenting himself as such to one Mr Montalito.

The offence contravened Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015.

He was also accused of being in possession of documents used for false pretences, including romance scam formats and chat records where he falsely presented himself as a United States citizen.

This offence contravened Sections 6, 8(b), and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

The EFCC stated that the defendants’ activities posed serious threats to Nigeria’s security and financial integrity.

After their arraignment, the court adjourned the case till 3 February 2025 for trial.
PUNCH

Metro

Police Detain 3 Nsukka Masqueraders For Allegedly Assaulting Residents

Published

1 hour ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The police command in Enugu State has detained three masqueraders in the Nsukka area of the state for allegedly assaulting law-abiding citizens.

The command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday that police operatives, with the assistance of members of the community, led to the arrest of the suspects on June 23 at 3:30 p.m.

He said that the arrest of the suspects was in connection with the alleged physical assault of citizens by the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade group on June 22 as seen in a viral video.

“The suspects, along with others still at large, took advantage of the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade celebration to assault several innocent members of the public, inflicting bodily injuries on them.

“One of the victims was hospitalised for treatment due to injuries sustained during the attack.

“The masqueraders initially resisted police arrest and fled the scene.

“However, with the assistance of law-abiding community members, the three suspects were later identified and apprehended,” he said.

The spokesman said that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, had ordered a thorough investigation into the case to ensure that justice was served.

Ndukwe quoted the commissioner as saying that masquerade celebration was a sacred and symbolic aspect of the nation’s culture.

He said that the state police chief, however, decried the actions of those who exploited the occasion to commit criminal acts.

Ndukwe said that the commissioner warned against the use of cultural festivities as a cover for fomenting trouble and committing crimes against fellow citizens, as perpetrated by the ‘Oriokpa’ masqueraders.

“The command is assuring the public that all those involved in the assault of law-abiding citizens will be brought to justice,” he added.

(NAN)

Metro

Edo Police Arrest Four Suspected Cultists

Published

4 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Edo Police Command said it has arrested four suspected cultists allegedly responsible for cult violence in Auchi and its environs of the state.

In a statement, the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Yamu said, the suspects, who were arrested during a joint operation, belong to different cultist groups.

The statement reads partly, “On 22/06/2025, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Cultism Unit in a joint operation with Jattu and Auchi Divisions embarked on a house-to-house arrest of cultists.

“These four (4) suspects were arrested in various locations in Auchi; Musa Murphy 25yrs of No 35 Ogeneni area Jattu, Auchi a member of Arobaga Confraternity, Gabriel Moses 25yrs of ECocota-Community, Auchi a member of Aye Confraternity, Michael Ayo 23yrs of No1 Emeke Uzuire, Auchi member of Eiye Confraternity and Philip Sunday 24yrs of Ebira camp, Auchi a member of Vikings Confraternity.”

Yamu expressed the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika’s assurance to the “general public of the Command’s resolve to rid the State of cultism while the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.”

Metro

Chaos In Court As Ex-convict Attempts To Escape

Published

8 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

A dramatic scene unfolded on Tuesday in an Ilorin Area Court as an ex-convict, Segun Samuel, attempted to escape from the court premises, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Prosecution Counsel, ASP Samuel Mayowa, who witnessed the incident, told NAN that the ex-convict cunningly removed the chains from his leg with a broomstick, walked towards the restroom and scaled the court fence.

“He has four different criminal cases in this court. One of the cases was heard on Monday, and he was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.

“In the second criminal case, he was sentenced to six months of community service, and the third case was supposed to be heard today, before he pulled that stunt,” he said.

Luckily, he said, the police officers in the court premises and the prison warder swung into action and pursued him.

He said that after a thorough search, and with the help of the community, the ex-convict was found in a dilapidated building at Oke-Suna Area, Ilorin.

The Correctional Service officer, he said, was called, and the ex-convict was captured and returned to custody