Ghana Nabs 93 Nigerians Over Cybercrime, Rescues 73 Trafficking Victims

Ghanaian immigration authorities have arrested 93 Nigerian nationals on allegations of cybercrime and human trafficking in Accra, while rescuing 73 others reportedly subjected to torture and abuse.

The Ghana Immigration Service said the operation targeted six houses at the DEVTRACO Estate, dismantling suspected internet fraud networks and illegal detention rings.

Of those arrested, 91 were male and two female. They face charges bordering on cybercrime and immigration violations. The 73 rescued victims have since been repatriated to Nigeria.

Deputy Superintendent of Immigration Newman Akuffo, who led the operation under the GIS National Operations Unit, said officers recovered 82 laptops, 57 mobile phones, 17 television sets, counterfeit US dollars and fake gold bars.

“The operation demonstrates our commitment to rooting out criminal networks exploiting our communities,” Akuffo said.

Investigations revealed that some suspects entered Ghana through unapproved border routes, while others overstayed the 90-day visa-free window granted to Nigerian citizens.

The Comptroller-General of the GIS warned that offenders risk prosecution under Ghana’s Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694). Conviction attracts five to 20 years imprisonment, rising to life imprisonment where minors are involved.

Immigration violations such as illegal entry or overstaying may also attract fines or jail terms of between three months and two years.

Officials described the exercise as one of the largest anti-fraud and anti-trafficking interventions in recent memory, reflecting Ghana’s intensified push against cybercrime networks in residential areas.

The development comes amid growing scrutiny of Nigerians abroad. Earlier in the week, 42 Nigerians were detained at a spare parts market in Mozambique, an incident the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission condemned as a potential xenophobic attack.

NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the Mozambique arrests as deeply troubling, noting that no offences had been formally levied against those detained.