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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced 18 foreign nationals to various prison terms for their involvement in cyber terrorism and related offences, in a landmark ruling aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s cybersecurity framework.

The convicted individuals, whose nationalities include those from North Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, were arrested last year in a coordinated operation involving the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and international security partners.

Presiding Judge Justice Ibrahim Bako ruled that the defendants had “willfully engaged in acts capable of undermining Nigeria’s national security and digital infrastructure,” citing overwhelming evidence presented by federal prosecutors.

The court sentenced the convicts to terms ranging from five to seven years each, with fines to be paid as restitution to affected entities. It also ordered their immediate deportation upon completion of their jail terms, stressing that Nigeria “will not serve as a haven for cybercriminals, regardless of origin.”

EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren praised the verdict as a “milestone in the country’s efforts to rid its digital space of foreign-sponsored threats.”

The coordinated cyberattacks, authorities said, targeted government databases, financial institutions, and critical telecom systems, causing operational disruptions and financial losses running into billions of naira.

Sources within the National Cybersecurity Centre confirmed that the convicts were part of a transnational network with alleged ties to extremist propaganda and financial fraud.

This is one of the most sweeping convictions under Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act, underscoring the government’s resolve to clamp down on cyber terrorism and protect its digital infrastructure from foreign sabotage.