Nigeria Police Bust $245m Fraud Trail, Repatriate Chinese Fugitive In Major INTERPOL Breakthrough

By Odita Sunday

 

In a sweeping cross-border operation that underscores the growing reach of transnational crime and the urgency of global cooperation to combat it the Nigeria Police Force has arrested and repatriated a Chinese national linked to a staggering $245 million Ponzi scheme.

 

Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon Placid, disclosed that the suspect, Xu Qing, was apprehended through the coordinated efforts of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja and subsequently returned to the People’s Republic of China to face prosecution.

 

According to the police, the repatriation followed an official request from Chinese authorities, who had declared Xu wanted in Beijing over allegations bordering on the illegal absorption of public deposits in a massive financial fraud estimated at over $245 million.

 

Investigations revealed that the suspect fled China on November 5, 2024, in a bid to evade arrest, prompting the issuance of a warrant on November 12, 2025, by the Shinan Sub-Bureau of Qingdao Public Security. Acting on intelligence, INTERPOL operatives in Nigeria tracked him to a factory in Ogun State, where he was arrested on April 24, 2026, before being repatriated four days later under bilateral policing arrangements.

 

Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to strengthening international collaboration in tackling transnational organised crime, stressing that Nigeria will not serve as a safe haven for fugitives.

 

He further urged Nigerian employers and business owners to carry out thorough background checks, particularly when engaging foreign nationals, noting that proactive due diligence remains critical in preventing the infiltration of criminal elements into legitimate enterprises.

 

The latest operation highlights the increasing effectiveness of intelligence-driven policing and international law enforcement partnerships, as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle global fraud networks and restore public confidence in financial systems.