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Nigerian, American and British law enforcement agencies have disrupted major cybercrimes networks operating across West Africa, arresting 28 suspects and identifying 117 trafficking victims in Ghana.
Meanwhile, Ghanian authorities have also confirmed that 120 Nigerians who were trafficked into Ghana and forced to work in cybercrime operations have been repatriated home as part of the operation.
The U.S. Department of Justice and Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam George, announced the development in separate statements on Tuesday evening.
U.S Department described the coordinated crackdown as a major disruption of transnational criminal networks operating from West Africa.
It added that the operation, conducted between Oct. 6 and Oct. 9, involved intelligence sharing, coordinated arrests and the removal of millions of fraudulent social media accounts.
According to the department, Nigerian authorities arrested nine suspects during the operation, while Ghanaian security agencies apprehended 19 others.
Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed that the Nigerian arrests occurred across Delta State, where investigators seized six laptops, 35 mobile phones and 12 routers.
In Ghana, authorities arrested 19 suspects in Sasaabi, near Accra, and seized 303 electronic devices suspected of being connected to fraudulent activities.
Investigators also identified 117 trafficking victims at the Ghanaian locations.
The operation involved Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police Force’s National Cybercrime Centre and other international security agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney General Tysen Duva commended Nigerian and Ghanaian security personnel for their contributions to the operation.
“I am especially grateful to the courageous law enforcement officers in Ghana and Nigeria,” Duva said.
He explained that cooperation between law enforcement agencies and technology companies had enabled investigators to identify suspects, dismantle fraudulent networks and protect victims.
The Justice Department disclosed that participating technology companies removed more than 3.7 million fraudulent accounts, pages and groups targeting people in several countries.
The companies also provided intelligence concerning more than 30 suspected scam centres, contributing to arrests, cryptocurrency seizures and the identification of trafficking victims.
Investigators identified approximately 11 million dollars in potentially freezable funds linked to suspected fraudulent operations.
The authorities clarified that the identified funds had not necessarily been recovered or permanently confiscated.
The disrupted schemes included cryptocurrency investment fraud, impersonation of law enforcement officers, online extortion and other sophisticated financial scams.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who leads the Scam Center Strike Force in Washington, emphasised the importance of international cooperation declaring, “transnational fraud demands a transnational response”..
The NCA disclosed that earlier enforcement operations in Ghana had also uncovered suspected trafficking victims who appeared to have been coerced into participating in criminal activities.
According to the agency, the latest operation demonstrated the growing importance of cooperation between African security agencies, international investigators and technology companies.
The U.S. Justice Department said the participating agencies would continue pursuing individuals and organisations responsible for international cyberfraud and related trafficking offences.
In his own statement posted on his verified X account on Tuesday, George confirmed that 120 Nigerians nationals who were trafficked into Ghana and forced to work in cybercrime operations has been repatriated home.
He expressed deep appreciation to the Ghana Air Force and the Ministry of Defence for facilitating the smooth return of the Nigerians to their home country.
“My sincere gratitude goes to the Ghana Air Force and the Ministry of Defence for facilitating the repatriation of 120 Nigerian nationals who were arrested during #OperationCyberhunt,” the minister said.
He confirmed that the sting operation was led by the Cyber Security Authority of Ghana (CSA) in conjunction with other intelligence and security agencies in Ghana, as well as partners from the United Kingdom, Nigeria and the United States.
He explained that the 120 persons had been trafficked to Ghana and compelled to participate in the cybercrime setups before their rescue.
The minister disclosed that the operation led to the seizure of a large quantity of equipment and items suspected to have been used in the illegal activities.
These included 136 mobile phones, 130 laptops, internet connection devices, four motor vehicles — one of which was reportedly stolen from Canada — jewellery, and ten Nigerian passports, among other digital equipment.
George further revealed that eight other individuals arrested in connection with the operation are currently being processed for prosecution.
“The team is processing 8 other persons for prosecution, and Ghana under President Mahama will remain an unfavourable destination for cyber criminals. For God and Country,” George stated.
The repatriation comes after a coordinated intelligence-led operation carried out in late September that targeted several suspected cybercrime centres, particularly in the Greater Accra Region.
Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), had earlier confirmed the arrival of a significant number of the returnees, describing them as victims of human trafficking who were forced into online fraud activities.
Officials noted that the returnees are undergoing profiling, counselling and reintegration processes to help them rebuild their lives after the traumatic experience.
NAN
English (US) ·