At the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented seven foreign nationals before Justice Deinde Dipeolu, with one defendant facing arraignment and six others beginning their trials. The six defendants, through their legal representatives, requested a brief adjournment to explore a potential plea bargain with the anti-graft agency.
However, trial proceedings commenced against one of the defendants, Xiao Hong Will, who is facing a three-count charge alongside the company, Genting International Ltd. The court heard the testimony of Roland Turaki, an unemployed cybersecurity student, who identified the defendant as one of his employers and provided details about his role in an alleged cyber fraud operation.
Witness Testifies on Fraud Scheme
Led by EFCC prosecutor Bilikisu Buhari Bala, Turaki described how he was recruited for the job and the nature of his work with Genting International Ltd. According to the witness, he encountered an advertisement for a customer service representative position on the website Gigi.ng, where the job promised a salary of ₦250,000. After reaching out via WhatsApp, Turaki was invited for an interview and subsequently hired following a brief typing test.
Turaki explained that after joining the company, he was given a script and instructed to chat with European clients using a pre-set template. The goal was to befriend clients and gain their trust, with the ultimate aim of exploiting them. The job involved posing as a woman in communication with the clients, which was part of a broader scheme orchestrated by Genting International Ltd.
“I was made to memorize a script, which guided how I interacted with the clients,” Turaki said. “The company’s instructions were very clear: follow the template and gain the trust of the client. When the conversation was going well, they would take over and I would move on to the next client.”
Turaki also testified about the pressure he faced at the company, with threats of being fired without pay if targets were not met. He revealed that the working environment was highly stressful, with fines imposed for underperformance. Despite recognizing the illegality of the operation, Turaki felt trapped due to the constant surveillance and security presence at the company premises.
Coercion and Threats
The witness also described how he and other employees, mostly Nigerian youth between the ages of 20 and 30, were controlled by threats of violence and financial penalty. “On one occasion, we were not allowed to leave the premises to buy medication because the security guards were instructed to force us back,” Turaki said. “We were told that if we tried to leave again, we would be fired without pay.”
Despite his desire to quit, Turaki felt pressured to stay on until he could collect his salary, only to be arrested by the EFCC on December 10, 2025, just weeks after starting the job.
Evidence and Adjournment
EFCC counsel Buhari also informed the court that the commission intends to tender a desktop computer, provided to Turaki as part of his employment, and the chat templates used in the fraudulent operation. Given the large number of devices involved, the prosecutor requested a short adjournment to allow Turaki to identify the specific desktop he had used.
Justice Dipeolu granted the request for an adjournment and scheduled the continuation of the trial for March 18, 2025.
The case continues to shed light on the growing issue of cybercrime involving foreign nationals operating in Nigeria, as the EFCC pursues charges against multiple individuals and entities allegedly engaged in fraudulent activities.
