Nigeria has deported dozens of foreigners, including 50 Chinese nationals, after breaking up what officials called one of the biggest foreign-led cybercrime syndicates.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said 102 convicted foreign nationals have now been repatriated as part of the operation. They were found guilty of “cyberterrorism and internet fraud.”

The arrests came after a sting operation in Lagos last Friday that netted 192 foreigners. Of these, 148 were Chinese. Photos posted by the EFCC showed rows of deportees at the airport, masked and holding their luggage. The agency said more deportations would follow in the coming days.

The crackdown, named “Eagle Flush,” was launched after authorities received key intelligence.

It is the second large-scale raid on foreign suspects in less than a year. Last December, nearly 800 people were arrested, including 148 Chinese and 40 Filipinos. Officials said the groups were running romance scams and fake cryptocurrency investments with the help of Nigerian partners.

Cybercrime has long been a problem in Nigeria, with romance scams and sextortion schemes among the most common offences. Some young Nigerians, known locally as “Yahoo Boys,” learn fraud techniques in makeshift training hideouts. Several major cases linked to Nigerians abroad have also been exposed by the FBI.

The EFCC says the rise in scams is tied to high unemployment, weak regulations, and a growing appetite among youth for fast money.

Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, said last year it had removed thousands of Nigerian accounts and groups pushing sextortion and fraud schemes.

Officials and experts continue to warn social media users to be cautious, as the scams keep spreading.

Source: BBC.