The Ghanaian Police have dismantled a human trafficking and cyber fraud syndicate in the Ashaiman area of Tema, rescuing seven Nigerians who were allegedly held captive and forced into online scams.
The rescue operation, which took place on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, around 4:00 p.m., was conducted by operatives of the Zenu–Atadeka District Police Patrol Team following intelligence reports on suspicious human activities in the Peace Land community.
According to a statement issued by the Tema Regional Police Command on Friday, three suspects — Peter Okoye (36), a computer engineer, Jolly Ezekiel (30), and Jolly Shadrack (33) — were arrested during the raid.
The statement revealed that the suspects lured their victims from Nigeria to Ghana under the guise of providing construction jobs in Tema.
However, upon arrival, the unsuspecting victims were taken to a secluded apartment in Peace Land, where they were detained and forced into cyber fraud operations.
Investigations showed that the victims were subjected to physical abuse, denied food and basic hygiene, and made to swear oaths of allegiance to their captors.
Those who disobeyed were locked in a 10-by-12-foot room for several days as punishment.
“The victims were each given laptops and trained to create fake romantic relationships with foreigners to extort money,” the statement added.
“Over ten laptops were recovered at the scene, which were being used for the fraudulent operations supervised by the suspects.”
A search conducted at the suspects’ residence led to the recovery of multiple laptops, routers, mobile phones, and household items.
The recovered devices have been sent to the Cyber Crime Unit at the Police Headquarters in Accra for forensic analysis.
The suspects were arraigned before the Ashaiman District Court, presided over by H/W Derick Parden Eshun, on October 9, 2025, where they were remanded in police custody.
They are expected to reappear in court on October 23, 2025, to face charges bordering on conspiracy and human trafficking.
The victims, who had been confined for about eight months, are currently receiving medical and psychological care.
The Tema Regional Police Command said it is working with the Ghana Immigration Service to facilitate their safe repatriation and reintegration with their families in Nigeria.
Reaffirming the police’s commitment to fighting organised crime, the Command urged residents to promptly report suspicious activities related to human trafficking or cybercrime.
“The Command remains committed to ensuring public safety and will continue to collaborate with relevant agencies to dismantle criminal networks operating across borders,” the statement concluded.
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