Tuesday, October 13, 2026 - Ghanaian authorities have rescued 119 Nigerians in an operation targeting cybercrime syndicates, with 105 of them repatriated to Nigeria.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in
Persons disclosed this in a statement on Monday, adding that the remaining 14
Nigerians were still undergoing processing by the Ghanaian authorities.
According to the agency, the operation was coordinated by
the Office of the National Security Adviser following a request for assistance
from Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority.
NAPTIP said it led the Nigerian security and law enforcement
agencies involved in the operation, including the Nigeria Immigration Service,
the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency and the
National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.
Other participating agencies included the Nigerian High
Commission in Ghana and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, alongside
other partners.
Receiving the returnees on behalf of the Federal Government,
NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Lami Adamu Bello, welcomed them and assured them
of their safety.
She urged the returnees to remain calm as the government
commenced profiling and reintegration processes to determine their individual
needs and circumstances.
According to the agency, the exercise underscored its
commitment to protecting the dignity and welfare of the returnees and ensuring
that each person received appropriate assistance.
NAPTIP commended the Ghanaian authorities, particularly the
Cyber Security Authority of Ghana and the Ghana Immigration Service, as well as
the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, for their operational support.
The agency also acknowledged the Office of the National
Security Adviser, Nigerian security and law enforcement agencies, and other
partners for their collaboration in making the operation successful.
Reaffirming its commitment to combating human trafficking
and related forms of exploitation, NAPTIP said it would ensure that individuals
identified during such operations received appropriate screening, protection
and support based on their circumstances.
The agency also urged Nigerians to exercise caution when
considering employment, scholarship and other opportunities abroad,
particularly offers involving unrealistic promises, vague job descriptions or
suspicious recruitment arrangements.
The development comes shortly after another batch of 111
distressed Nigerians was evacuated from South Africa amid concerns over
xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in the country.
The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport, Lagos, on Thursday aboard South African Airways flight SA060.
The group comprised 44 men, 23 women and 44 children and was
received by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in
Diaspora Commission, NAPTIP, the National Emergency Management Agency and other
relevant Federal Government agencies.
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