Nigerian Police rescue 40 Ghanaians in fresh human trafficking crackdown

In a renewed effort to combat human trafficking, the Ondo State Police Command has announced the successful rescue of 40 Ghanaian nationals in Akure, the state capital.

The operation, carried out by officers from the Tactical Intelligence Response Squad (TIRS), comes just days after another group of over 30 Ghanaians was rescued under similar circumstances elsewhere in the country.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, confirmed that the victims were lured into Nigeria under the false promise of lucrative job opportunities in Europe. Among those rescued was David Angerinya, one of the key victims who helped law enforcement understand the scope of the trafficking network.

The operation was launched following a petition received via the Interpol Liaison Office at Force Headquarters in Abuja. The request highlighted an urgent case involving a Ghanaian citizen allegedly trafficked across borders.

Ayanlade disclosed that the primary victim, David Angerinya, had been brought into Nigeria in 2024 under the false promise of employment.

“Acting swiftly on the report, detectives from the TIRS, led by DSP Lekan Alabi, commenced a targeted investigation,” he said.

“Subsequently, three principal suspects identified as Hayford Nyamekye, Awine Alex and Kojo Felix were apprehended, while the victim was successfully rescued during the operation.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are part of a larger transnational trafficking syndicate that specialise in deceiving unsuspecting individuals, particularly from neighboring West African countries.

“The victims travelled to Nigeria with false assurances of lucrative job opportunities and visa arrangements to Canada and other Western nations.”

Further inquiries revealed that 39 other Ghanaians had also been misled and trafficked by the same network. Many of them were discovered without valid travel documentation, while others held expired papers.

“All arrested suspects are currently in police custody and are cooperating with ongoing investigations.

“Furthermore, efforts are ongoing to apprehend the owners and caretakers of the buildings where the victims were harbored.

“The building owners and caretakers may have had knowledge of, or directly facilitated the illegal activities of the syndicate.”

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Adebowale Lawal, reaffirmed the command’s resolve to dismantle human trafficking rings and tackle transnational crime.

“The CP urges members of the public to remain vigilant and report all suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency contact lines,” Ayanlade added