Ghanaian police have uncovered a major human trafficking and cybercrime network that lured dozens of Nigerians into the country under false pretenses. Authorities said 57 victims were rescued and five suspects arrested in a coordinated raid in Accra’s suburbs on Wednesday.
According to the Criminal Investigations Department, the victims, all aged between 18 and 26, were trafficked with promises of well-paying jobs but were instead coerced into conducting online romance scams.
“The victims, aged between 18 and 26 years, were coerced into engaging in online romance scams and other heinous activities,” the police said in a statement.
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During the operation, investigators confiscated 77 laptops, 38 mobile phones, three television sets, two vehicles, and several other internet-enabled gadgets believed to have been used in the criminal enterprise.
Police said the rescued victims are currently receiving care and support, though no timeline has been given for their repatriation to Nigeria.
Officials believe the syndicate is part of a wider network trafficking young West Africans into Ghana for online fraud and exploitation. Despite numerous crackdowns, such operations remain common across the country.
A report from Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection earlier this year revealed that between 2023 and 2024, authorities secured 54 convictions from 79 human trafficking prosecutions.
Just last month, Interpol led a major regional operation against cybercrime that saw 260 arrests across 14 African countries. The global policing agency reported that the scams targeted more than 1,400 victims, resulting in nearly $2.8 million in losses.
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Ghana alone recorded 68 arrests linked to online romance and sextortion scams, where suspects allegedly used fake profiles to extort money through bogus shipment fees and explicit video blackmail.
