More than 230 Nigerians will arrive in Lagos on Friday after a dramatic rescue mission in Ghana freed 219 of them from a cybercrime trafficking ring, where they were trapped and forced to commit online fraud.
The operation, led by Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crimes Office (EOCO), has been praised as a textbook case of international collaboration against human trafficking. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, expressed heartfelt appreciation for EOCO’s professionalism and compassion during the mission.
“These young men were held against their will in about 25 rooms inside a gated estate,” the Minister revealed. “They were forced to work day and night on computers, scamming victims online. Some had been locked indoors for so long, they struggled to adjust their eyes to sunlight when finally led outside.”
Tragically, many of the victims bore physical scars. One had his legs broken after refusing to hand over his ‘earnings’ to the traffickers. Others were covered in lacerations. “This is modern-day slavery—cruel, inhumane, and deeply barbaric,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
She warned Nigerian youth to be extremely cautious of too-good-to-be-true job offers abroad, which often serve as bait in trafficking schemes. “Count yourselves lucky,” she told the rescued men. “Next time, it might not be a country like Ghana, where Nigeria has strong diplomatic ties and a responsive partner in justice.”
EOCO’s Executive Director, Mr. Bashiru Dapilah, noted that the rescue was driven by intelligence and citizen support—including reports from well-meaning Nigerians living in Ghana. He confirmed that the estate owner who harbored the victims has been arrested and will face legal action.
“This isn’t just a Nigerian problem. Ghanaians were complicit, and we’re treating it as a serious cross-border crime,” Dapilah said. “But we also have a large Nigerian community here—law-abiding people who are contributing positively. We must avoid harmful stereotypes.”
Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Ghana, Ambassador Dayo Adeoye, emphasized that more than three million Nigerians live in Ghana. He called for intensified awareness campaigns to educate the public about trafficking dangers.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu encouraged the returnees to rebuild their lives and take advantage of Nigerian government programs for rehabilitation and vocational training.
“East or West, home is best,” she said. “Come back, reclaim your future, and let your government help you stand on your feet again.”
