Justice Daniel Osiagor of the federal high court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals:  Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, to 46 years’ imprisonment each for cyber terrorism and internet fraud.

The convicts,  alongside one Friday Audu were among a syndicate of 792  fraudsters arrested for cryptocurrency,  investment and romance fraud  on December 19, 2024 in Lagos in a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” by EFCC operatives.

 
In a statement on Wednesday,  Dele Oyewale,  EFFC’s head,  media & publicity, said investigations revealed that Friday allegedly incorporated Genting International Co. Ltd. on the directive of Huang Haoyu to facilitate the fraudulent scheme.

Oyewale said the defendants were found to have procured and employed Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as foreign nationals for the purpose of defrauding unsuspecting victims through online platforms.

“They were subsequently arraigned alongside a company, Genting International Co. Ltd., by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a seven- count charge bordering on cyber-terrorism, internet fraud and money laundering to the tune of N3,407,824,740.78 (Three Billion, Four Hundred and Seven Million, Eight Hundred Twenty-Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty  Naira, Seventy Eight kobo), and $2,562,203 ( Two Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Three United States Dollars),” Oyewale stated.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Huang Haoyu, a.k.a Ken, Audu Friday, An Hongxu, Duliang Pan (at large) and Genting International Co. Ltd,  sometime in 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired to willfully cause to be accessed, computer systems organised to seriously destabilise the economic and social structure of Nigeria (which prohibits and prevents cyber and related crimes) when you, with intent to gain a financial advantage for yourselves and cronies, procured and or employed Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as persons of foreign nationalities, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024) and punishable under Section 18 of the same Act”.

They initially pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them.

At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, counsel to the first and third defendants,  Bridget Omateno, informed the court that the defendants would like to change their pleas from “not guilty” to “guilty.”

When the charges were re-read to them, both Haoyu and Hongxu pleaded “guilty” to the charges filed against them, while Audu maintained his plea of “not guilty.”

Following the guilty pleas of both Haoyu and Hongxu, who are directors in the company, the prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Bala- Buhari stated that the prosecution had earlier called two witnesses before the change of plea. 

She urged the court to impose the maximum punishment of life imprisonment on counts 1, 2 and 3, and 14 years’ imprisonment on counts 4 to 7. 

The prosecution also prayed the court to order the forfeiture of all items recovered during investigation from the four properties listed in the charge (Items 1–135) to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The items are: 1,596 mobile phones, 2,120 office chairs, 544 office tables, 194 routers, 43 computer systems, a network server, 126 air-conditioning units, several generators and vehicles, hundreds of mattresses and bunk beds, thousands of SIM cards across different networks, and numerous other electronic devices and household items recovered from premises at No. 7 Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island; Plot 1220 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island; 54A A.J. Marinho Drive, Victoria Island; and No. 14A Modupe Alakija Crescent, Ikoyi.

Delivering judgment, Justice Osiagor convicted and sentenced the first and third defendants to a cumulative term of 46 years’ imprisonment each,  with an option of fine of N56,000,000 (Fifty-Six Million Naira).

The court  also ordered that they undertake three days of community service and be repatriated after serving their sentences and completing the community service.

The matter was adjourned till April 29, 2026 for the continuation of trial involving Audu Friday, who maintained his not guilty plea.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two suspects for allegedly obtaining the sum of N603.4 million from one Oluseye Yomi-Sholoye to facilitate her appointment as the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

The suspects are Gidado Ibrahim and Halimat Adenike Tejusho, who is currently at large.

They were arraigned on Monday at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court in Maitama on an amended six count-charge bordering on fraud and obtaining by false pretence.

The suspects were accused of allegedly forging a document with the letter titled: ‘Presidential Villa State House, OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER.’

The charges read, “That you GIDADO IBRAHIM and HALIMAT ADENIKE TEJUSHO O (now at large) between August 2024 to October 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court obtained the sum of N603, 400,000.00. (Six Hundred and Three Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) from OLUSEYE YOMI-SHOLOYE under the false pretence that you will facilitate her appointment as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act,” part of the charge sheet reads.

“That you, GIDADO IBRAHIM sometime in August, 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court did use as genuine a forged document titled ‘Presidential Villa State House, OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER’ when you knew or had reason to believe it to be forged and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under Section 364 of the same Law.”

Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to the charges.

After the not guilty plea, Y. Tarfa, the prosecution counsel, asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendant be remanded in the correctional centre.

B. B. Alhaji, counsel to Ibrahim, appealed to the court to remand his client in EFCC custody over his health status pending the ruling of the bail application.

H. Muazu, the trial judge, adjourned the matter to February 17, 2026 for hearing of the application

The judge thereafter ordered the remand of the defendant in Kuje correctional facility.

The Yobe State Police Command says it has arrested an 18-year-old housewife who allegedly mutilated her husband’s genitals with a sharp object during a domestic dispute in Potiskum Local Government Area of the state.

According to reports, the incident, which happened last Friday, left the victim critically injured.

Dungus Abdulkarim, the command’s spokesperson, said the police responded to a distress call and found the man lying in a pool of blood inside his room.

“On February 6, our policemen responded to a distress call that a man was found lying in his room in a pool of blood. We rushed to the house and could not find anybody, so we immediately took him to a clinic for treatment and later referred him to the Azare Medical Centre for further treatment,” he said.

According to the police, the suspect fled the scene after the attack but was tracked and arrested on Monday.

“At the moment the wife fled, we could not get her until early this morning. She has been arrested, and we are investigating to determine what transpired to the extent of her using a sharp object to cut off her husband’s manhood,” Abdulkarim added.

The police spokesperson said the husband identified his wife as the attacker, but had yet to give a detailed statement due to the severity of his injury.

“We have not been able to get any statement from the husband due to the pain from the injury he sustained,” the spokesperson said.

The police spokesperson said further updates would be provided as investigations continue.