The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has begun the deportation of 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted of cyber-terrorism and Ponzi scheme offences.

The deportees, who constitute the first batch out of 192 convicts, are scheduled to depart Nigeria on Sunday afternoon. They were among 759 suspects arrested during a major raid on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to NIS, additional batches of deportees will be airlifted on Monday and Tuesday, completing the repatriation process.

All the convicts have since been transferred to the Immigration Service for onward deportation to their home countries.

The syndicate had been operating a large-scale cyber fraud and Ponzi scheme before being rounded up in a joint operation.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which prosecuted the cases, a total of 192 foreigners—comprising Chinese and Philippine nationals—were convicted in connection with the scam.

Several of the charges included 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.

The EFCC explained that the charges highlighted serious crimes aimed at undermining Nigeria’s security and financial integrity through cybercrime and fraudulent activities.

EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, described the convictions and deportations as a milestone in Nigeria’s fight against cybercrime and financial fraud.

He reiterated the Commission’s resolve to intensify investigations, recover looted funds, and restore national dignity in line with President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption drive.

The December raid, considered one of the most extensive anti-cybercrime operations in Nigeria, marked a turning point in the crackdown on transnational financial crimes.