The Federal High Court has adjourned the arraignment of 133 foreign nationals and 17 Nigerians linked to high-level cybercrimes, hacking, and activities threatening national security to November 22, due to the absence of legal representation of the accused persons.
Justice Ekerete Akpan adjourned proceedings as the arraignment of the suspects which was suppose to hold on Thursday could not go on, prompting the trial Judge to fixed November 22 for arraignment to enable the 133 suspects have a lawyer to represent them in court
They are however to remain in Police custody till the next adjourned date.
The accused persons who are to be arraigned on a 6-count charge bothering on cybercrimes are 113 foreign nationals, comprising 87 men and 26 women, mainly from China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, Philippines and Malaysia, as well as 17 Nigerian collaborators.
According to Court documents, the suspects were arrested on November 3, 2024 after a strategic operation was conducted through a coordinated raid at Jahi area in Abuja, where the suspects were allegedly using computers and other sophisticated devices to facilitate criminal activities.
The operation which was led by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, AIG Benneth Igweh, , comprised officers of the Nigeria Police Force Zone 7 Command Abuja and the National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC).
Part of the charge reads, “that the suspects did enter the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a business permit of 30 days duration and failed, or neglected to leave the Nigerian territory at the expiration of the said permit and remained in Nigeria without a valid Resident Permit or appropriate valid visa which is in contrary to Section 4 (2) and punishable under Section 44 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 2015.”
Another count stated, “that the suspects within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did promote via electronic messages on the internet, a fraudulent and unregistered gambling platform, materially misrepresenting facts about the said fraudulent gambling platform upon which reliance, persons in Nigeria and outside Nigeria suffered enormous economic losses and you thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14 (2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).”
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
