Sign in Subscribe
Police departments

Nigeria Police Force Rescues 46 Victims of Human Trafficking, Arrests 7 Suspects in Transnational Cyber Fraud and Trafficking Operations

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has successfully rescued 46 victims of human trafficking and arrested 7 suspects linked to transnational cyber fraud and trafficking operations. The rescue efforts, coordinated by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja, resulted in a major breakthrough against transnational organized crimes such as human trafficking and cybercrime. The operations targeted cross-border criminal syndicates, with one operation initiated after a tip-off from INTERPOL NCB Accra, Ghana, leading to the rescue of 31 victims trafficked from Ghana to Nigeria.

Key Takeaways:

  • The rescue operations were coordinated by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja, with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) leading the efforts to dismantle trafficking syndicates and combat cybercrime.
  • 46 victims of human trafficking were rescued, with 31 of them trafficked from Ghana to Nigeria, and the remaining 15 from a separate operation.
  • The victims were deceived with false promises of employment opportunities in Europe but were later coerced into online marketing scams associated with the QNET network, a scheme linked to widespread cyber fraud.
  • The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) arrested 7 suspects, including Attah Amankwaah, a Ghanaian residing in Nigeria and a known member of the QNET network, and later handed over the rescued victims to the Ghana High Commission in Abuja for safe repatriation and reintegration.
  • The suspects are currently in police custody and will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
  • The operations targeted cross-border criminal syndicates, with one operation initiated after a tip-off from INTERPOL NCB Accra, Ghana, and another from a distress request regarding 4 Ghanaian nationals reportedly trafficked into Nigeria.

Statistics:

  • 46 victims of human trafficking were rescued
  • 31 victims were trafficked from Ghana to Nigeria
  • 15 victims were rescued from a separate operation
  • 7 suspects were arrested, including Attah Amankwaah
  • GHC 30,000 (Thirty Thousand Ghanaian Cedis) was paid by one of the victims to a Ghanaian residing in Nigeria and a known member of the QNET network
  • 126,000 Ghanaian Cedis was obtained by another suspect, Achiaa Grace Afrifa, from her victims under the guise of securing employment opportunities

Sources:

  • ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Police Force ( exact quote: "It was further uncovered that the victim had paid Thirty Thousand Ghanaian Cedis (GHC 30,000) to one Attah Amankwaah, a Ghanaian residing in Nigeria and a known member of the QNET network.")
  • INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja (exact quote: "The INTERPOL NCB received a distress request regarding four (4) Ghanaian nationals reportedly trafficked into Nigeria by one Achiaa Grace Afrifa, a 39-year-old female suspect.")
  • The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) official statement on the rescue operations (exact quote: "The seven suspects arrested in both operations are currently in police custody and will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.")

Read more