ACCRA, Oct 13 (The African Portal) – The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) says it has repatriated 32 West African nationals suspected of involvement in cyber fraud, including romance scams, following joint security operations in the Volta Region.
The suspects comprising 24 Nigerians and eight Togolese were arrested on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, in simultaneous operations in Akatsi and Ho, conducted by the Immigration Service, the Ghana Police Service and National Security.
According to the GIS, investigations revealed that all the men, aged between 18 and 35, had entered Ghana through unapproved routes and were later coerced by criminal networks into online fraud schemes.
Authorities said the individuals had been lured via social media platforms with promises of legitimate jobs but were instead forced into cybercrime. They were treated as victims of human trafficking and have since been repatriated to their respective countries.
Items seized during the operations included 33 mobile phones, three power banks, one Toyota Corolla car key, three chargers, and an AirPod with one earpiece missing. The GIS said investigations were ongoing to identify and arrest the masterminds behind the network.
In a statement marking Cybersecurity Month, the Immigration Service urged the public, especially young people, to be wary of online recruitment scams and human trafficking syndicates.
It also called on landlords and property owners to verify the identity of foreign tenants, warning that harbouring undocumented migrants constitutes an offence under Section 52(1)(b) of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).
“The Ghana Immigration Service remains committed to protecting Ghana’s borders and ensuring compliance with immigration laws,” said Deputy Commissioner of Immigration Maud Anima Quainoo of the Public Affairs Department.
