Nigeria Police Arrest, Repatriate Chinese Fugitive

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), through the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja, has arrested and repatriated a Chinese fugitive, Chen Gaochong, to the People’s Republic of China.

The operations were carried out in close collaboration with Chinese Police authorities and in accordance with international law enforcement protocols.

Force PRO, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed that the strategic operation marked a significant milestone in transnational police cooperation and the global fight against financial crime.

Gaochong, a male national of China, was declared wanted by the Peixian Public Security Bureau of Jiangsu Province for offences involving tax fraud, specifically the unlawful issuance of special Value Added Tax (VAT) invoices totalling RMB 4,974,400.

The police said: “investigation, initiated by Chinese authorities on March 5, 2020, revealed that between May and August 2017, the suspect fraudulently issued 45 VAT invoices for fictitious transactions under the guise of legitimate business activities.

“These invoices were issued to Xuzhou Wanfeng Plastic Industry Co., Ltd., using the names of two other companies, Linhai Guangyong Plastic Products Co., Ltd. and Linhai Beilaisi Plastic Products Co., Ltd., without their consent or involvement.

“Following the discovery of his criminal activities, Gaochong fled Mainland China on November 16, 2019 through the Shenzhen Bay Port to Hong Kong, and later escaped to Burkina Faso before illegally entering Nigeria in 2021.
He deliberately avoided renewing his international passport in an attempt to conceal his identity and evade arrest.

“An arrest warrant was subsequently issued by the Peixian Public Security Bureau on 9th July 2020 for his detention on suspicion of tax-related offences,” Adejobi stated.

Upon receipt of a formal request for assistance from Chinese authorities, INTERPOL NCB Abuja commenced covert intelligence operations, leading to the successful tracing and arrest of the fugitive in Lagos on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.

“In the spirit of international law enforcement cooperation and mutual legal assistance, Gaochong was repatriated and formally handed over to Chinese authorities on Thursday, July 3, 2025.

“The Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of the inspector-general of police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, reaffirms its dedication to ensuring that Nigeria does not serve as a haven for criminals fleeing justice,” the Force PRO further stated.

He added that the Force remained committed to upholding global standards in transnational crime prevention and will continue to strengthen its collaboration with international law enforcement agencies to combat crime and criminality.