The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has started the deportation of 192 foreign nationals convicted of internet fraud in the country.
It is understood that the first batch of 42 foreign nationals was deported on Sunday, while another set will be flown by AIT to their different countries on Monday and Tuesday.
Recall that in December 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested 792 members of a syndicate over alleged cryptocurrency and romance scam fraud.
The suspects were arrested at a seven-storey building in Victoria Island, Lagos. The foreigners were said to be using the building to “train Nigerians on how to initiate romance and investment scams”.
Members of the syndicate comprise114 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, two Khazartans, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian.
EFCC had termed the operation as the “largest single-day” arrest of internet fraudsters in the country.
The EFCC had arraigned the suspects at the federal high court in Lagos.
In June, some of the foreign nationals were convicted by the court of law.
The court further ordered the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to repatriate the foreigners to their country of origin within seven days after completing the jail term.
