ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s anti-graft agency has arrested 177 Chinese nationals in sweeping raids across Lagos and Abuja as part of an intensified crackdown on transnational cybercrime, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced on Thursday.
The operations, carried out between December 2024 and January 2025, targeted highly organised scam centres disguised as legitimate corporate offices, where hundreds of Nigerians were reportedly trained to carry out cryptocurrency fraud and online phishing scams.
“These foreign elements are exploiting our vulnerabilities and tarnishing the country’s image with their criminal enterprise,” EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede said at a press briefing.
“But there will be no hiding place for criminals in Nigeria.”
According to EFCC investigators, the foreign-led syndicates operated what are commonly referred to as “pig butchering” scams — a form of online fraud in which victims are deceived into forming relationships with scammers who later coax them into investing in fake cryptocurrency platforms before disappearing with the funds.
During the raids, law enforcement recovered hundreds of Nigerian SIM cards, high-performance computing equipment, and detailed fraud scripts.
These scam operations were allegedly coordinated by the foreign suspects, who used Nigerian intermediaries to identify and groom targets.
“The foreign suspects were not working alone,” said an EFCC spokesperson.
“They enlisted locals as digital foot soldiers while directing the broader criminal enterprise from the shadows.”
The raids come amid growing concern over the spread of transnational cybercrime networks into Africa.
A recent report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) flagged the increasing relocation of Chinese and Southeast Asian cybercrime groups to African countries, including Nigeria, in the wake of intensified law enforcement action in Asia.
“The networks spread like a cancer,” said Benedikt Hofmann, acting Southeast Asia representative for UNODC.
“They relocate, rebuild and continue to exploit institutional weaknesses wherever they can.”
Cybersecurity analysts argue that Nigeria’s economic volatility, under-regulated digital space, and long-standing issues with internet fraud have made it a prime location for such networks to thrive.
The EFCC has urged the international community to take a more proactive stance in fighting cybercrime, calling for multilateral collaboration, information sharing, and reform of digital security frameworks.
“We are intensifying our actions, but enforcement must be complemented with public education, digital security reforms and global intelligence sharing,” Olukoyede said.
He also emphasised that the current wave of arrests represents only a part of the broader campaign to dismantle the foreign-led networks operating within Nigeria’s borders.
With investigations ongoing, the EFCC reiterated its zero-tolerance policy toward cybercrime and warned that Nigeria will not be used as a springboard for international fraud.
“We are committed to ensuring that Nigeria does not become a safe haven for cybercriminals — foreign or domestic,” Olukoyede stated.
The agency is expected to press charges following the conclusion of the current phase of investigations and has hinted at further arrests and asset seizures tied to the syndicates’ operations.
