Police Rescue 46 Ghanaians Trafficked into Nigeria

By Toffa Momoh

The Nigeria Police Force has rescued 46 Ghanaians trafficked into Nigeria and arrested seven suspects in connection with cross-border human trafficking and cyber fraud networks.

In a statement, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, said the two operations were conducted by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, targeting transnational organised crimes.

Adejobi explained that during one of the operations, 31 victims trafficked from Ghana to Nigeria under the guise of securing employment opportunities in Europe were rescued.

According to him, the victims were forced into fraudulent internet marketing activities linked to the QNET network.

He said preliminary investigations revealed that one Samuel Dankwah Opoku, a Ghanaian national, was lured by a suspect identified as George Tenkron with a false job promise in Spain in August 2024.

Adejobi maintained that the victim was directed to Nigeria, where he was drawn into QNET’s fraudulent schemes after paying GHC 30,000 to one Attah Amankwaah, a Ghanaian residing in Nigeria and a known QNET associate.

He noted that the police arrested six suspects, including Amankwaah, and recovered incriminating materials during a raid on their operational base.

According to Adejobi, on 17 June 2025, during another operation, the INTERPOL NCB received a distress alert concerning four Ghanaians allegedly trafficked by one Achiaa Grace Afrifa, a 39-year-old woman, who collected GHC 126,000 from the victims under the pretense of offering overseas jobs.

He added that Afrifa was arrested the next day, and 15 victims were rescued from her custody.

Adejobi maintained that all seven suspects arrested in both operations are currently in police custody and will be charged in court upon conclusion of investigations.

Human trafficking remains one of the most insidious and heartbreaking human rights violations facing Nigeria today. Despite efforts by the government and international partners, the menace continues to thrive, preying on the most vulnerable members of society—particularly women and children—whose hopes for a better future are often turned into nightmares of exploitation and abuse.

States like Edo, Kano, and Delta have become known hubs for human trafficking, especially for young girls destined for sex work in Europe.

Nigeria has made commendable efforts through institutions like the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which investigates, prosecutes, and rehabilitates victims.