Hot SourceLinus Aleke in Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force, through the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, has apprehended no fewer than seven transnational human traffickers and cyber fraudsters and rescued 46 victims.
The police stated that the arrest followed a coordinated operation based on a message received from INTERPOL NCB Accra.
A statement by Force Spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, said that operatives of INTERPOL NCB successfully rescued 31 victims who had been trafficked from Ghana to Nigeria under the false pretence of securing employment opportunities in Europe.
The victims, Adejobi said, were lured by deceptive promises and later coerced into fraudulent internet marketing activities linked to the QNET network.
He stressed that preliminary investigations revealed that in August 2024, one Samuel Dankwah Opoku, a Ghanaian national, was deceived by one George Tenkron, who falsely assured him of employment in Spain.
Opoku, the Force said was directed to travel to Nigeria, where he became ensnared in QNET’s fraudulent schemes.
“It was further uncovered that the victim had paid GHC 30,000 to one Attah Amankwaah, a Ghanaian residing in Nigeria and a known member of the QNET network. This syndicate specialises in manipulating and confining individuals into exploitative online marketing scams under duress and false obligations.
“Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force apprehended six suspects, including Attah Amankwaah, and uncovered incriminating materials during a raid at their operational base. Detailed statements obtained from both victims and suspects led to the exposure of a wider transnational human trafficking and internet fraud network. The rescued victims were subsequently handed over to the Ghana High Commission in Abuja for safe repatriation and reintegration, with the assurance of continued consular and welfare support in line with international best practices,” Adejobi explained.
In a related development, on 17 June 2025 at about 2:13p.m, the INTERPOL NCB received a distress request regarding four Ghanaian nationals reportedly trafficked into Nigeria by one Achiaa Grace Afrifa, a 39-year-old female suspect. The Force Spokesperson said that the investigations revealed that Afrifa fraudulently obtained the sum of 126,000 Ghanaian Cedis from her victims under the guise of securing employment opportunities.
According to the Police, “Acting swiftly on intelligence, operatives tracked and arrested the suspect on 18 June 2025 at No.1 Ikot Ebido Street, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. During the operation, 15 victims were rescued from her custody. The seven suspects arrested in both operations are currently in police custody and will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.”
The Nigeria Police Force, Adejobi said, remains steadfast in its commitment to dismantling trafficking syndicates, combating cybercrime, and protecting vulnerable populations from exploitation.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the swift and collaborative efforts of INTERPOL, the Ghana High Commission, and all operatives involved, and reiterates the unyielding resolve of the Nigeria Police Force to uphold human rights, ensure justice, and strengthen transnational law enforcement cooperation in tackling organised crime across borders.
