2 Nigerians to serve one year in Ghanian prison over possession of forged documents

Saturday, November 15, 2025 -The Madina District Court II has sentenced two Nigerian nationals to 12 months imprisonment each for attempting to acquire Ghana Cards using false identities.

The convicts, Ike Isaac, also known as Alex Kwesi Brown Appiah, 20, and Emmanuel Innocent Egbe, also known as Innocent Emmanuel Kodom, 24, were found guilty of providing false information to Ghana National Identification Authority (NIA) officials and possessing forged documents

Presiding over the case, Judge Susana Nyakotey convicted the two following a full trial on Friday, November 7, 2025.

The National Identification Authority (NIA) confirmed the conviction in a statement on Thursday, November 13. 

They were charged with Providing False Information to National Identification Registration Officials under Section 40(1)(a) of the National Identity Register Act, 2008 (Act 750), and Possessing Forged Documents under Section 166 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29)

Under the judgment, both were sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for providing false information and 13 months for possessing forged documents, with the sentences to run concurrently.

They are to be deported to Nigeria immediately after serving their prison terms and have been handed over to the Nsawam Prisons Authority to begin their sentences

In a statement, the NIA commended the Ghana Police Service, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Unit attached to the NIA, and the Office of the Attorney-General for their role in securing the convictions.

“This conviction reaffirms our commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the Ghana Card registration process as the single credible source of identity for all lawful residents,” the NIA said.

The Authority warned that false information, impersonation, and the use of forged documents are serious criminal offences and pledged to continue working with security and judicial agencies to detect, investigate, and prosecute offenders who attempt to undermine the system.

It also reminded the public that the Ghana Card serves not only as a national identity document but as the foundation for government services, financial transactions, and national security, emphasizing that maintaining its credibility is a collective responsibility.