The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the permanent forfeiture of 431 mobile phones linked to a cyber-fraud operation involving Chinese nationals and Nigerian youths.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu issued the order following an application by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The devices were recovered during investigations into a cyber-fraud operation allegedly conducted at a facility known as “HK” in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The EFCC told the court that the facility was allegedly used to train and deploy Nigerian youths and foreign nationals for romance, investment and cryptocurrency fraud targeting victims in the United States, Canada, Mexico and parts of Europe.
The Commission’s application was filed through its counsel, Hannatu Kofarnaisa, and supported by an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, Christopher Augustine.
The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order on July 8, 2026, directing the EFCC to publish a notice in a national newspaper to allow any interested person or organisation to challenge the proposed forfeiture.
Kofarnaisa told the court that the Commission complied with the directive by publishing the notice in The Guardian on August 11, 2026, but no individual or entity appeared to contest the forfeiture within the period stipulated.
According to the EFCC affidavit, a sting operation conducted on December 10, 2024, resulted in the arrest of more than 700 suspects, comprising about 500 Nigerians, 148 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos and other foreign nationals.
The investigation also linked Genting International Company Limited (GICL), allegedly controlled by Chinese national Huang Haoyu, also known as Ken, and other foreign nationals to the operation.
The EFCC said Huang and GICL were subsequently prosecuted on seven counts bordering on cyber terrorism, possession of fraudulent documents, failure to declare activities to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML), illegal foreign exchange transactions and money laundering.
The Commission stated that Huang and GICL pleaded guilty to the charges and were convicted and sentenced by the court.
The EFCC argued that the 431 mobile phones were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and liable to forfeiture under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
After considering the submissions and affidavit evidence, Justice Dipeolu found merit in the application and ordered the final forfeiture of the 431 phones to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
