A Nigerian court has convicted four Filipino nationals and seven Nigerians for cyberterrorism and internet fraud in a major transnational cybercrime case.
The ruling was delivered on June 13 by Justice Yellim Bogoro at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, following a months-long investigation by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants were charged under the Cybercrimes Act (2015, amended in 2024) and the Terrorism Prevention Act (2022).
The convicted Filipinos—Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina—were found guilty alongside Nigerians Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, and Oghomienor Jotham.
Their offences include:
- Identity theft
- Online dating scams,
- Cyberterrorism,
- Laundering criminal proceeds.
Prosecutors identified Chyna Samonte as a key actor, accused of unlawfully accessing computer systems in December 2024 to recruit Nigerian youths for digital fraud. She allegedly posed as a foreign national to exploit networks for financial gain.
Another defendant, Chidera Ezechukwu, was prosecuted for retaining over ₦12.7 million from a romance scam operation.
All eleven individuals pleaded guilty, leading to swift sentencing. Each Filipino convict was sentenced to one year in prison or fined ₦1 million.
The court also ordered their deportation by the Nigerian Immigration Service within seven days of completing their sentences.
EFCC at Work
In a public statement shared via its X account (@officialEFCC), the anti-graft agency detailed how it dismantled what it described as a cross-border cybercrime syndicate operating from Lagos.
This operation follows closely on the heels of the EFCC’s conviction of nine Chinese nationals for related crimes on June 6, 2025, pointing to a trend of foreign involvement in Nigeria-based internet fraud networks.
The EFCC has continued to strengthen its enforcement efforts since May 2025, when it convicted three Nigerians—Orizowe Omogbor Anointing, Lawal Olaitan, and Tella Damilola Adebayo—for impersonating U.S. citizens in a separate case.
The agency’s successes come in the wake of the recent amendment of the Cybercrimes Act, which now carries stricter penalties for digital offences.
Officials say the conviction comes as Nigeria’s membership in the Egmont Group—a global network of Financial Intelligence Units—was restored.
The suspension had raised concerns over the country’s anti-money laundering and financial crime protocols. Analysts note that EFCC’s recent actions may have played a role in the group’s decision to lift the suspension.
As the country continues to digitize, the Lagos court ruling highlights the judiciary’s pivotal role in safeguarding national security and deterring cybercrime.
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