Authorities in Ghana have arrested 93 Nigerians over alleged cybercrime and human trafficking activities in Accra, while rescuing 73 other Nigerians who were reportedly subjected to torture and abuse.
A report by ABC News GH on Tuesday, citing the Ghana Immigration Service, said those arrested include 91 men and two women facing charges related to cybercrime and immigration violations. The 73 rescued victims have since been repatriated to Nigeria.
The arrests followed coordinated raids on six houses at the DEVTRACO Estate, where authorities targeted a network allegedly involved in internet fraud and the unlawful detention of individuals.
Deputy Superintendent of Immigration, Newman Akuffo, who led the operation under the GIS National Operations Unit, said officers recovered a large cache of items during the raid. The items included 82 laptops, 57 mobile phones, 17 television sets, counterfeit US dollars and fake gold bars believed to have been used in fraudulent schemes.
“The operation demonstrates our commitment to rooting out criminal networks exploiting our communities,” Akuffo said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that several suspects had entered Ghana through unauthorised border routes, while others overstayed the 90-day visa-free entry granted to Nigerians.
The Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service warned that offenders risk prosecution under the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694), which criminalises the recruitment, transportation or harbouring of individuals for exploitation through force, fraud or abuse. Convicted offenders may face prison terms ranging from five to 20 years, while cases involving children or other aggravating circumstances could attract life imprisonment.
Authorities added that violations of Ghana’s immigration laws, including illegal entry or overstaying, may also attract fines or jail terms ranging from three months to two years.
The operation has been described as one of the largest anti-fraud and anti-human trafficking interventions in recent years, highlighting Ghana’s intensified efforts to dismantle cybercrime networks operating in residential communities.
The development comes amid increasing scrutiny of Nigerians abroad following recent arrests in other countries. Earlier this week, 42 Nigerians were reportedly detained at a spare parts market in Mozambique, a move condemned by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission as a possible xenophobic attack.
The commission’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the Mozambique arrests as disturbing, noting that no offences had reportedly been formally levelled against the affected Nigerians.
