The Nigeria Police Force has rescued a 24-year-old Ghanaian man who was trafficked into Nigeria and arrested five suspects during a joint cross-border operation in Ogun State.
The operation, carried out by officers of INTERPOL Annexe, FCID Alagbon in Lagos, followed a request for assistance from the National Central Bureau in Accra, Ghana, on September 15. Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development in a statement released on Sunday, September 28.
“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 Annexe, FCID Alagbon, Lagos, in Ofada, Ogun State,” the statement read.
According to Hundeyin, preliminary findings showed that the victim and his father had been lured into Nigeria in July 2025 by one Hassana Abban, a 25-year-old Ghanaian woman living in Ofada. She allegedly promised to help them secure travel to Canada but instead defrauded them.
“The suspect, investigations reveal, obtained forty thousand (40,000) Cedis, approximately four million, nine hundred and sixty thousand (N4,960,000) Naira, for the supposed travel arrangements,” Hundeyin said.
He explained that once they arrived in Nigeria, their passports and mobile phones were seized, and they were forced to work on fraudulent online trading platforms.
Acting on Interpol’s request, a special police team tracked the victims and successfully rescued them on September 16 in Ogun State. The principal suspect, Abban, was arrested along with four accomplices: Odubuasi David, a Nigerian; Yahaya Salifu, a Ghanaian; Sherifa Haruna, a Ghanaian; and Ebenezer Ofosu, also a Ghanaian.
“All five suspects are currently in custody and further investigations are ongoing. The rescued victims have since been reunited with their families back in Ghana,” Hundeyin added.
The Inspector-General of police, Kayode Egbetokun, praised the professionalism of the officers involved. He also reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to regional cooperation in tackling human trafficking and other transnational crimes.
Egbetokun assured Nigerians and international partners that no criminal syndicate operating across borders would escape justice.
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