A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced five Thai nationals to three years in prison for cybercrime and illegal stay in Nigeria.
The convicts, identified as Panupong Wanasak, Aatairat See Ni, Laongdao Saeguang, Achalar Saeyang, and Galin Suphaaut, were given an option to pay a fine of N1 million each.
The court also ordered their deportation after serving their sentences or upon payment of the fine.
The convicts were accused of entering Nigeria with a 30-day business permit in September 2024 and remaining in the country beyond the expiration date, thereby committing an offense contrary to Section 57 of the Immigration Act 2015.
They pleaded guilty to the charges through a Thai interpreter and entered into a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in delivering the judgment, ordered that all electronic devices used in the crimes be forfeited to the Nigerian government and directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to oversee their deportation.
This verdict is part of a broader pattern of legal actions Nigeria has taken against foreign nationals involved in cyber-related offenses.
