The Ghana Immigration Service has arrested 93 Nigerian nationals over alleged involvement in internet fraud and breaches of the country’s immigration laws, marking the latest in a series of crackdowns on cybercrime networks in the West African nation.
GIS spokesperson Maud Anima Quainoo confirmed in a statement on Monday that the arrests followed an intelligence-led raid on a suspected internet fraud network operating at Devtraco Estate in Accra. The suspects include 91 males and two females.
The operation also led to the rescue of 73 victims who had reportedly suffered abuse and torture at the hands of the suspects. The rescued individuals have since been repatriated to Nigeria, highlighting the human toll of such criminal networks.
Authorities recovered a range of items from the premises, including 82 laptops, 57 mobile phones, 17 television sets, counterfeit US dollar notes, fake gold bars, and various household appliances believed to have supported the fraudulent operations.
Preliminary investigations indicate that some suspects entered Ghana through unauthorised border crossings, while others overstayed the 90-day visa-free period available to citizens of the Economic Community of West African States member countries.
The GIS stated that investigations are ongoing at its headquarters to determine the full scope of the criminal network. Authorities also urged all foreign nationals in Ghana to comply with the country’s immigration and criminal laws to avoid similar arrests.
This latest operation follows a troubling pattern targeting Nigerian nationals involved in cybercrime. Earlier in January, the Ghana Police Service arrested 53 Nigerians linked to internet fraud and rescued 44 suspected victims of forced labour. In December, approximately 78 Nigerians were apprehended in similar operations.
The recurring nature of these arrests raises concerns about the scale of cross-border criminal networks in Ghana and the adequacy of border management frameworks within the ECOWAS region.
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