The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has received 105 Nigerians rescued from cybercrime operations in Ghana, as authorities intensify cross-border efforts to dismantle criminal networks exploiting vulnerable people through deceptive recruitment and overseas employment schemes.
The returnees were among 119 Nigerians rescued in a coordinated operation against cybercrime syndicates by Ghanaian authorities, with the remaining 14 still undergoing processing for repatriation, according to NAPTIP.
The operation, according to a statement on Monday by the spokesman of NAPTIP, Vincent Adekoye, was coordinated by Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) following contact from Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority, with NAPTIP leading participating Nigerian security, intelligence, immigration and law enforcement agencies.
The operation involved the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), 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 Adamu Bello, welcomed them and assured them of their safety, urging them to remain calm while officials carry out profiling and arrange appropriate support and reintegration.
The rescue operation underscores growing international concern over criminal networks that recruit people under false pretences and exploit them in illicit online activities, sometimes subjecting them to coercion, threats and other forms of abuse.
The Survivors
NAPTIP, in a statement issued on Monday by its Head of Press and Public Relations, Vincent Adekoye, commended the Ghanaian authorities, particularly the Cyber Security Authority and Ghana Immigration Service, as well as the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), for their operational support.
The agency also acknowledged the role of ONSA and the participating Nigerian institutions, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening international cooperation against human trafficking and related forms of exploitation.
UN Warns of Deceptive Recruitment into Online Scam Operations
The operation comes against the backdrop of international warnings about the trafficking of people into online scam operations, in which victims are sometimes deceived with promises of legitimate employment before being coerced into committing internet fraud.
In February 2026, the United Nations Human Rights Office published a report documenting serious abuses against people trafficked into scam centres across several countries. Survivors described being recruited under false pretences and compelled to engage in online fraud, including impersonation, financial scams, extortion and romance scams.
The UN findings highlight the increasingly complex relationship between human trafficking and cybercrime. While some people knowingly participate in online fraud, others may be trafficked and forced to commit offences under threats, coercion or other forms of control.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has similarly documented how criminal networks can use deceptive recruitment, confiscation of travel documents, movement restrictions and debt bondage to control people recruited into scam operations.
Ghana has also faced concerns over the exploitation of foreign nationals in trafficking networks. The United States Department of State’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report said Ghanaian authorities identified 794 trafficking victims, including 493 foreign nationals. Nigerians accounted for 358 of the foreign victims identified.
For Nigeria, the challenge extends beyond rescuing and repatriating citizens. Authorities must also establish whether individuals were trafficked, assess their protection needs, investigate suspected recruiters and ensure that returnees receive appropriate support to reduce their vulnerability to further exploitation.
In January 2025, the Kano Zonal Command of NAPTIP reported rescuing 285 people in 2024. The agency said 53 were trafficking victims, while the others included survivors of sexual abuse and gender-based violence.
Against this background, NAPTIP urged Nigerians to exercise caution before accepting employment, scholarships and other opportunities abroad, particularly offers promising unrealistic earnings, providing vague job descriptions or involving suspicious recruitment arrangements.
