By Ebi Kesiena
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested and repatriated a Chinese national, Xu Qing, to China over his alleged involvement in a $245 million Ponzi scheme.
The operation was carried out by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, following a formal request from Chinese authorities, who had declared the suspect wanted in Beijing for large-scale financial fraud involving the illegal collection of public deposits.
Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, disclosed this in a statement, noting that Qing fled China to Nigeria on November 5, 2024, in a bid to evade arrest. A warrant for his arrest was subsequently issued on November 12, 2025, by the Shinan Sub-Bureau of the Qingdao Public Security.
According to the police, operatives of INTERPOL NCB Abuja tracked the suspect through intelligence-led surveillance operations, leading to his arrest on April 24, 2026, at a factory in Olowotedo, Siun Village, in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
He was repatriated to the People’s Republic of China on April 28, 2026, under bilateral policing arrangements to face prosecution.
Reacting, Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to strengthening international collaboration in tackling transnational organised crime.
He also urged Nigerian employers and businesses to conduct proper background checks, including verification through law enforcement agencies, before engaging foreign nationals.
The police reiterated that Nigeria will not serve as a safe haven for fugitives, stressing its resolve to clamp down on cross-border criminal activities.
