EFCC Arraigns Chinese Nationals Over Attempts To Sabotage Nigeria’s Economy

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arraigned two Chinese nationals and their company before the Federal High Court in Lagos over allegations of conspiracy aimed at destabilising Nigeria’s economic structure.

The EFCC docked the foreigners Huang Haoyu, Friday Audu, An Hongxu, and Genting International Ltd before the court v a 12-count cybercrime charge before Justice Daniel Osiagor.

Prosecutor Mrs Bilikisu Buhari informed the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences in Lagos in 2024.

She also accused the defendants of conspiring with one Dualiang Pan, who is currently at large, to access computer systems to undermine Nigeria’s economic structure intentionally.

The anti-graft agency further claimed that the defendants recruited Nigerian youths to pose as individuals of foreign nationalities.

For instance, they allegedly engaged one Chukwuemeka Okeke to retain $1.2 million in his cryptocurrency wallet, which they should have known was acquired through fraudulent activities.

Additionally, they purportedly directed individuals Alhassan Garba and Ifesinachi Jacobs to retain $1.3 million in their cryptocurrency wallets, which was also derived from illegal activities.

They allegedly retained N3.4 billion in Genting International Ltd’s Union Bank account, part of their fraudulent proceeds.

The prosecutor also alleged that they transferred multiple amounts, including N106 million and N913 million, to Dualiang’s UBA account, which was also linked to their fraudulent activities. These transfers were made from Genting International Ltd.

The EFCC also accused the defendants of illegally negotiating a foreign exchange transaction with Alhassan Garba, equivalent to N1.1 billion and N962 million, along with additional sums, without going through the officially authorised foreign exchange market set by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Justice Osiagor has adjourned the case until March 20 for a hearing on the defendant’s bail application and has ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending bail the hearing.