The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has announced that it rescued 105 Nigerians during an operation against cybercrime gangs in Ghana. This effort is part of ongoing actions to protect victims from exploitation and illegal migration.
On Monday, Vincent Adekoye, who heads NAPTIP’s Press and Public Relations Unit, shared details about the operation. He said the operation was led by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) after Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority reached out.
Ghanaian authorities rescued a total of 119 Nigerians during this operation. Out of this number, 105 have been sent back to Nigeria, while 14 are still being processed.
Several Nigerian security agencies took part in the operation. These include the Nigeria Immigration Service, Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency, and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons. The Nigerian High Commission in Ghana and other partners were also involved.
Binta Bello, the Director-General of NAPTIP, received the returnees on behalf of the Nigerian government. She assured them of their safety and explained that they would undergo profiling and reintegration processes.
This process is meant to understand their individual situations and the help they might need. The situation shows the cross-border issue of trafficking and exploitation. Recent investigations by PREMIUM TIMES looked into how criminal gangs take advantage of vulnerable Nigerians with false promises of jobs, education, and better living conditions.
The investigation revealed that over 300 children were reportedly taken from Yelewata, Daudu, and Agban communities in Guma Local Government Area in 2024. This was through a fake Back-to-School program. Parents were promised free education, food, and housing for their children, with the assurance that they would return home during Christmas and Easter.
Instead, the children were said to have been moved through orphanage homes in Abuja and Nasarawa State before being sent to other places. NAPTIP said some children were sold under the guise of legal adoption.
The agency pointed out Anderson Archibong, the Executive Secretary of the National Council of Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria (NACCRAN), as the alleged leader of this operation. NAPTIP stated that Archibong and others have been charged in connection with the case.
Previously, NAPTIP mentioned rescuing 105 children linked to the Benue operation. It reunited 101 of them with their families, while four remained in custody as they continued to trace their relatives.
Another NAPTIP announcement revealed that over 180 children had been rescued in operations across five states. These included children taken from conflict-affected areas under the pretense of educational support.
The latest repatriation from Ghana was part of a different operation aimed at cybercrime gangs. NAPTIP did not say if any of the 105 returnees were victims of human trafficking or if they were forced to take part in cybercrime.
The agency said it would examine the returnees and provide assistance based on their individual situations. Mrs Bello encouraged them to stay calm as the government did what was needed. NAPTIP emphasized its duty to protect their dignity, welfare, and safety.
The agency also expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian authorities, especially the Cyber Security Authority and Ghana Immigration Service, along with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency for their help.
NAPTIP praised ONSA, Nigerian security agencies, and other partners for their role in the operation. The agency urged Nigerians to be careful when considering jobs, scholarships, and other opportunities abroad. They warned against offers that seem too good to be true, unclear job descriptions, or suspicious recruitment practices.
The agency plans to continue working with local and international partners to fight human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. For families affected by trafficking in Benue, this news comes as part of ongoing efforts to find missing children and prosecute those accused of taking advantage of displaced families.
NAPTIP has highlighted that ongoing insecurity and the displacement of families have made people more vulnerable to trafficking in Benue, which has been identified as a major source of trafficking cases in Nigeria. The agency’s recent operation in Ghana shows how important cross-border cooperation is in finding, rescuing, and helping Nigerians caught in exploitative situations. Still, the exact details of the returnees and their roles in the cybercrime operations remain unclear.
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