The Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) in Nigeria has rescued 46 victims of human trafficking and arrested seven suspects connected to cross-border criminal activities between Ghana and Nigeria.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, announced the development on Thursday.
He said the operation followed a distress message from INTERPOL NCB Accra, which alerted Nigerian operatives to the movement of trafficked persons into the country.
According to Adejobi, INTERPOL operatives rescued 31 victims who were trafficked from Ghana to Nigeria under the pretence of securing employment opportunities in Europe.
He said the victims fell prey to deceptive job offers and later faced coercion into participating in fraudulent internet marketing activities associated with the QNET network.
Preliminary investigations revealed that in August 2024, a Ghanaian national, Samuel Dankwah Opoku, was lured by George Tenkron, who allegedly promised him employment in Spain.
Tenkron instructed Opoku to travel to Nigeria, where he became trapped in QNET’s fraudulent schemes.
Investigators also found that Opoku paid “GHC 30,000 to one Attah Amankwaah, a Ghanaian residing in Nigeria and a known member of the QNET network.”
Adejobi said, “This syndicate specialises in manipulating and confining individuals into exploitative online marketing scams under duress and false obligations.”
Based on actionable intelligence, police operatives conducted a raid at the syndicate’s operational base. Officers arrested six suspects, including Amankwaah, and recovered incriminating materials from the location.
Adejobi explained that statements obtained from both the victims and suspects exposed a wider transnational human trafficking and internet fraud network.
He said the police transferred the rescued victims to the Ghana High Commission in Abuja for safe repatriation and reintegration.
He added that the Ghanaian authorities assured continued consular and welfare support for the victims “in line with international best practices.”
In a separate operation, INTERPOL NCB received a distress request on June 17, 2025, regarding four Ghanaian nationals reportedly trafficked into Nigeria by Achiaa Grace Afrifa, a 39-year-old female suspect.
Police investigations revealed that Afrifa fraudulently obtained “126,000 Ghanaian Cedis from her victims under the guise of securing employment opportunities.”
Operatives tracked and arrested Afrifa on June 18, 2025, at No.1 Ikot Ebido Street, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. During the raid, officers rescued 15 victims from her custody.
Adejobi said, “Seven suspects arrested in both operations are currently in police custody and will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the joint efforts of INTERPOL, the Ghana High Commission, and the Nigerian police operatives involved in the rescue missions.
He restated the Force’s commitment to dismantling trafficking syndicates, combating cybercrime, and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation.