The INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Nigeria has rescued 46 victims of human trafficking and arrested seven suspects linked to a cross-border trafficking syndicate operating between Ghana and Nigeria.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, announced the breakthrough on Thursday.
He revealed that the operation was triggered by a distress alert from INTERPOL NCB Accra, notifying Nigerian operatives about the movement of trafficked persons into the country.
According to Adejobi, INTERPOL operatives successfully rescued 31 victims trafficked from Ghana to Nigeria under the false promise of employment opportunities in Europe.
He disclosed that the victims were deceived with bogus job offers and later coerced into engaging in fraudulent online marketing schemes connected to the QNET network.
Preliminary investigations showed that in August 2024, a Ghanaian national, Samuel Dankwah Opoku, was lured by George Tenkron, who falsely promised him a job in Spain.
Tenkron instructed Opoku to travel to Nigeria, where he became ensnared in QNET’s fraudulent operations.
Investigators further uncovered that Opoku paid “GHC 30,000 to one Attah Amankwaah, a Ghanaian residing in Nigeria and identified as a key member of the QNET network.”
Adejobi stated, “This syndicate specialises in deceiving and restraining individuals, forcing them into exploitative online marketing scams through manipulation and false pretenses.”
Based on actionable intelligence, police operatives raided the syndicate’s operational base, arrested six suspects, including Amankwaah, and recovered incriminating evidence from the scene.
Adejobi explained that testimonies from both the victims and suspects revealed a broader transnational network engaged in human trafficking and internet fraud.
He added that the rescued victims have been handed over to the Ghana High Commission in Abuja for safe repatriation and reintegration.
He also noted that the Ghanaian authorities have pledged ongoing consular assistance and welfare support for the victims “in line with international best practices.”
In a separate operation, INTERPOL NCB responded to a distress alert on June 17, 2025, concerning four Ghanaian nationals who had been trafficked into Nigeria by a 39-year-old female suspect, Achiaa Grace Afrifa.
Police investigations revealed that Afrifa fraudulently collected “126,000 Ghanaian Cedis from her victims under the pretext of securing overseas job opportunities.”
Operatives apprehended Afrifa on June 18, 2025, at No.1 Ikot Ebido Street, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. During the raid, 15 victims were rescued from her custody.
Adejobi said, “Seven suspects arrested in both operations are currently in police custody and will be charged to court upon completion of investigations.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, applauded the collaborative efforts of INTERPOL, the Ghana High Commission, and Nigerian police operatives involved in the rescue operations.
He reaffirmed the Force’s unwavering commitment to dismantling trafficking networks, fighting cybercrime, and safeguarding vulnerable individuals from exploitation.