Police extradite Chinese national linked to $245m Ponzi scheme

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced the arrest and repatriation of Xu Qing, a Chinese national wanted by authorities in China over an alleged Ponzi scheme linked to illegal public deposit mobilisation valued at more than $245 million.

Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Anthony Placid, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, noting that the operation was coordinated by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja.

According to Placid, the suspect was declared wanted in Beijing following allegations of large-scale financial fraud, prompting Chinese authorities to request the assistance of Nigerian law enforcement agencies.

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The police spokesperson said investigations showed that Xu Qing fled China for Nigeria on November 5, 2024, in a bid to evade arrest. He added that the Shinan Sub-Bureau of Qingdao Public Security subsequently issued a warrant for his arrest on November 12, 2025.

Placid explained that INTERPOL operatives in Abuja, acting on intelligence and sustained surveillance, tracked the suspect to a factory in Olowotedo, Siun Village, within Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, where he was arrested on April 24, 2026.

He added that the suspect was later repatriated to the People’s Republic of China on April 28, 2026, under bilateral police cooperation arrangements to face prosecution over the alleged offences.

The statement also quoted Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Olatunji Disu, as reaffirming the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to international collaboration in combating transnational organised crime.

Disu further advised Nigerian businesses and employers to conduct proper background checks, including through the police, before entering into partnerships or employment arrangements with foreign nationals.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in its commitment to combating transnational crime and ensuring that Nigeria does not serve as a safe haven for fugitives,” Placid said.