The Nigeria Police Force has rescued 46 victims of human trafficking and arrested seven suspects in two coordinated operations targeting cross-border criminal syndicates involved in human trafficking and cyber fraud.
The operations, led by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja, were carried out in collaboration with INTERPOL NCB Accra and other security partners.
In the first operation, 31 victims trafficked from Ghana to Nigeria under the guise of employment opportunities in Europe were rescued.
Investigations revealed they were deceived and coerced into working for the fraudulent QNET network, engaging in forced internet marketing scams.
One of the victims, Samuel Dankwah Opoku, was lured with promises of a job in Spain and directed to Nigeria.
He later paid 30,000 Ghanaian Cedis to Attah Amankwaah, a Ghanaian resident in Nigeria and alleged member of the QNET network.
Six suspects, including Amankwaah, were arrested, and incriminating materials were recovered during a raid on their base of operations.
The victims have since been handed over to the Ghana High Commission in Abuja for safe repatriation and support, in line with international best practices.
In a separate case, police rescued 15 Ghanaian nationals trafficked into Nigeria by 39-year-old Achiaa Grace Afrifa, who allegedly collected 126,000 Ghanaian Cedis from her victims under false employment promises.
Afrifa was arrested on 18 June 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, following a distress alert and rapid intelligence-led action.
All seven suspects are currently in custody and will face prosecution upon conclusion of investigations.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, commended the swift response and cross-border cooperation that led to the success of the operations.
He reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to combating transnational organised crime, protecting vulnerable individuals, and upholding human rights.
