The Nigeria Police Force has rescued a 24-year-old Ghanaian national trafficked into Nigeria and arrested five suspects in a joint cross-border operation in Ogun State.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, who disclosed that the rescue was carried out by operatives of INTERPOL Annex, FCID Alagbon, Lagos, following a request for assistance from the National Central Bureau (NCB) Accra on September 15.
“The Nigeria Police Force, in its sustained efforts to combat crimes, has successfully rescued a victim of human trafficking, a 24-year-old Ghanaian national, and arrested five suspects, including both Ghanaian and Nigerian nationals, in a well-coordinated operation by operatives of INTERPOL Annex, FCID Alagbon, Lagos, in Ofada, Ogun State,” the statement read in part.
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According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that the victim and his father were allegedly trafficked into Nigeria in July 2025 by one Hassana Abban, a 25-year-old Ghanaian woman residing in Ofada, under the guise of facilitating their travel to Canada.
Hundeyin explained that the suspect collected 40,000 Cedis (approximately ₦4.96m) from the family for the supposed travel arrangements.
“Upon arrival in Nigeria, their Ghanaian passports and mobile phones were seized, and they were forced into activities linked to fraudulent online trading platforms,” the statement added.
The rescue followed discreet investigations that led police operatives to the victims’ location, where they were freed on September 16, 2025.
The operation also led to the arrest of the prime suspect, Abban, alongside four accomplices identified as Odubuasi David (Nigerian), Yahaya Salifu (Ghanaian), Sherifa Haruna (Ghanaian), and Ebenezer Ofosu (Ghanaian).
“All five suspects are currently in custody and further investigations are ongoing. The rescued victims have since been reunited with their family back in Ghana,” Hundeyin noted.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, lauded the professionalism of the officers involved in the operation, and stressed the importance of regional security collaboration in tackling human trafficking and transnational crimes.
He assured Nigerians and international partners that “no criminal syndicate operating across borders will escape the long arm of the law.”