…some of the suspects allegedly entered Ghana through unauthorised border routes,
ABUJA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has apprehended 93 Nigerian nationals over alleged involvement in internet fraud and breaches of the country’s immigration laws, in what authorities describe as part of an ongoing crackdown on cybercrime operations in the West African nation.
In a statement released on Monday, GIS spokesperson Maud Anima Quainoo said the arrests followed an intelligence-driven raid on a suspected cyber fraud ring based at Devtraco Estate in Accra. The suspects include 91 men and two women.
The operation also resulted in the rescue of 73 individuals who were reportedly subjected to severe abuse and torture by the suspects. According to the statement, the victims have since been repatriated to Nigeria.
Authorities said items recovered from the location suggest a well-organised criminal network. Seized materials include 82 laptops, 57 mobile phones, 17 television sets, counterfeit US dollar notes, fake gold bars, and several household appliances believed to have been used in facilitating the fraudulent activities.
Initial findings indicate that some of the suspects allegedly entered Ghana through unauthorised border routes, while others are believed to have overstayed the 90-day visa-free period granted to citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states.
The GIS added that investigations are ongoing at its headquarters to uncover the full scope of the network. It also urged foreign nationals residing in Ghana to comply with the country’s immigration and criminal regulations.
Monday’s arrests follow a series of similar operations involving Nigerian suspects in Ghana. In January, the Ghana Police Service arrested 53 Nigerians over alleged cybercrime and rescued 44 suspected victims of forced labour. In December, authorities carried out separate raids that led to the arrest of about 78 Nigerians linked to cybercrime activities.
The repeated incidents have raised concerns about the growing scale of cross-border criminal networks and whether current border management measures within the ECOWAS region are sufficient to curb such activities.
