The 113 foreign nationals consisting of 87 men and 26 women from countries such as China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, and Malaysia, with 17 Nigerian accomplices have pleaded not guilty to the charges of hacking.
The foreigners, and their Nigerian collaborators were arraigned over alleged involvement in high-level cybercrimes, and activities that threaten national security.
The Federal Government had arraigned them on a six-count charge before Justice Ekerete Akpan of the Federal High Court, Abuja but they all pleaded not guilty on Friday.
The defendants were apprehended on November 3, 2024, in a coordinated raid on the Jahi area of Abuja, where they were allegedly involved in criminal operations, using computers and advanced technology.
The operation was led by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 7, Abuja, Benneth Igweh, and involved personnel from the Nigeria Police Force Zone 7 Command and the National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC). The Nigeria Police Force is the complainant in the suit marked FH/ABJ/CR/599/2024.
The force’s spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, had said in a statement that the suspects were also arrested for their alleged involvement in activities that “threaten national security.”
The police said the operation took place at a building in the Next Cash and Carry area of Jahi, Abuja, where the suspects were reportedly using sophisticated devices to carry out illegal cyber activities.
