In a major win against cybercrime, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced the conviction of 146 foreign nationals involved in various financial and cybersecurity crimes across Nigeria.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, during the International Cybersecurity Conference held at the Abuja Continental Hotel.

• “Last year, we arrested about 194 foreigners for financial crimes that threaten Nigeria’s economic growth. Today, I can confirm the successful conviction of 146 of them, who will serve jail terms before being repatriated to their home countries,” Olukoyede stated.

Foreigners Used Stolen Nigerian Identities

According to the EFCC chairman, most of the convicted foreign nationals posed as Nigerians using stolen identities to carry out fraudulent online transactions, further damaging the country’s reputation internationally.

“These individuals defrauded both citizens and institutions, leading to Nigeria being wrongly accused globally for crimes we didn’t commit,” Olukoyede said.

He emphasized that with the support of international security agencies like the FBI, Interpol, and others, the commission was able to successfully prosecute the cybercriminals.

EFCC to Launch Cybersecurity and Rehabilitation Centres

As cybercrime continues to evolve globally, the EFCC also revealed plans to launch:

• A Cybersecurity Response Centre capable of detecting and reacting to financial cyberattacks within one hour.
• A 500-capacity Cybercrime Research & Rehabilitation Centre, which will focus on reforming convicted cybercriminals.

Olukoyede called for stronger collaboration between security agencies, financial institutions, and regulatory bodies to tackle the growing sophistication of cybercrime in Nigeria.

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High-Profile Attendance at Cybersecurity Conference

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) hosted the high-level conference, which was attended by key national and international figures, including:

• National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu
• Senate Committee Chairman on Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaibu Salihu
• Chairman, House Committee on Cybersecurity, Mr. Stanley Adedeji
• US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Richard Mills
• Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Mr. Adeladan Rafiu

This landmark development underscores Nigeria’s intensifying crackdown on cybercrime and its commitment to protecting the digital economy through cross-border collaboration and institutional strengthening.

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