The Federal High Court in Lagos has granted an interim forfeiture order for 73 properties and thousands of digital and household items seized in connection with a cybercrime and money laundering syndicate allegedly led by Chinese nationals.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu issued the ruling on April 23, 2025, following an ex parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Genting International Co., the suspected front company for the criminal operation. The application was filed under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Among the forfeited items are 1,596 computers and laptops, 4,091 mobile phones, 350 foreign SIM cards, and 3,399 Nigerian SIM cards. The Nigerian SIMs include 1,122 MTN lines, 316 9mobile, 1,277 Airtel, and 684 Glo cards—many reportedly pre-configured for online fraud schemes.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of an extensive array of equipment and furnishings, including 194 routers, 205 sofas, 501 double-step bunk beds, 754 mattresses, and seven vehicles. Additional items range from household appliances to communication tools, such as 40 refrigerators, 411 deep freezers, 16 inverter batteries, 43 CPUs/monitors, a network server, and a spiral dough mixer.
In its affidavit, EFCC investigator Kaina Garba revealed that the assets were recovered during a coordinated sting operation on December 10, 2024, at No. 7 Oyinjolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos—alleged to be the hub of the operation.
According to the EFCC, intelligence reports had indicated that Genting International, allegedly operated by Chinese nationals, ran a sophisticated cybercrime training centre where hundreds of Nigerian youths were recruited and trained in online scams, including romance, dating, and investment frauds.
Further investigations uncovered additional properties tied to the syndicate at No. 14 Modupe Alakija Crescent, Ikoyi; Plot 1220 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island; and Plot No. 54A A.J. Marinho Drive, also in Victoria Island.
The operation led to the arrest of 761 individuals—comprising both foreign nationals and Nigerians—while the alleged ringleaders and financiers remain at large and are currently being tracked by security agencies.
Justice Dipeolu, while granting the order, instructed the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture in a national newspaper and directed any interested parties to appear in court within 14 days to show cause why the seized assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The EFCC argued that the forfeiture was in the public interest, citing the growing threat posed by cybercrime and the urgent need to dismantle criminal infrastructures enabling such activities.
