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A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the deportation of four Filipino nationals after convicting them on charges of cybercrime and internet fraud.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Yellim Bogoro on Friday, followed a case brought by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In addition to the four foreign nationals, seven Nigerian citizens were also convicted and sentenced for offenses related to cyberterrorism and internet fraud.
The Filipinos — Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina — were sentenced to one year in prison each or a fine of ₦1 million. Upon completion of their sentences or payment of the fine, they are to be deported within seven days, as directed by the court.
The Nigerian convicts include Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, and Oghomienor Jotham. Each received varying sentences of one year imprisonment or fines ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦700,000.
Details of Charges
According to EFCC prosecutors, the crimes ranged from identity theft and cyberterrorism to online romance scams and money laundering.
In one of the charges, Chyna Samonte was accused of orchestrating access to computer systems for the purpose of recruiting Nigerian youths to impersonate foreigners online, with the intent to obtain financial advantage. The EFCC said her actions were designed to destabilize Nigeria’s economic and social structure, a crime that falls under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Another convict, Chidera Ezechukwu, was charged with retaining over ₦12.7 million in proceeds from an online dating scam. He was convicted under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
Court Proceedings
At the court sitting, all defendants pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them. Prosecution counsel Anita Imo, S.I. Suleiman, H.U. Kofarnaisa, and B.M. Isah urged the court to convict and sentence the accused accordingly, and to order the forfeiture of recovered assets to the federal government.
Justice Bogoro ruled in favor of the prosecution, ordering that all items seized from the convicts — including vehicles, communication gadgets, and monetary proceeds — be forfeited to the federal government.
EFCC’s Broader Crackdown
The case is part of a broader effort by the EFCC to tackle internet fraud and cybercrime across Nigeria. In recent months, the Commission has secured multiple convictions in similar cases, particularly in cybercrime hotspots such as Benin, Lagos, and Abuja.
The EFCC emphasized that the agency remains committed to bringing offenders — both local and foreign — to justice, as cybercrime continues to pose a serious threat to national security and the country’s digital economy.
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