A joint security operation has dismantled a network of suspected cybercrime hubs across several suburbs of Greater Accra, resulting in the arrest of 53 Nigerian nationals. The coordinated raids, conducted between 16 and 17 January 2026, were based on actionable intelligence from the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), which revealed that young men were allegedly being exploited and coerced into cybercrime by ringleaders operating from residential properties. The targeted areas included East Legon Hills, Afienya, Kwabenya, Weija, and Tuba
The operation was executed by a multi-agency task force comprising operatives from National Security, the CSA, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, and the Police SWAT unit. According to authorities, the raids were carefully conducted to distinguish between suspected perpetrators and potential victims of human trafficking and cybercrime exploitation.
Nine individuals were arrested as suspected masterminds believed to have coordinated and directed the illicit operations. An additional forty-four persons, discovered working on laptop computers in the raided apartments, were identified as rescued victims whom investigators say were lured into Ghana under false pretences. During the operation, security personnel confiscated 62 laptops, 52 assorted mobile phones, and two pump-action shotguns.
In a statement posted on January 18, Communications Minister Sam George confirmed that all 53 individuals had been profiled and transferred to the Ghana Immigration Service for safekeeping and further investigation. He issued a caution to foreign nationals seeking opportunities in Ghana, urging them to verify claims made by compatriots who may attempt to lure them into the country under deceptive circumstances.
“We caution foreign nationals invited to Ghana to verify claims made by their fellow nationals to lure them here,” the minister stated.
George described the crackdown as part of a sustained national effort to combat cybercrime and protect Ghana’s international reputation. He disclosed that individuals arrested in previous operations have either been handed over to Nigerian authorities at the Seme border or are currently facing prosecution in Ghanaian courts.
“Protecting Ghana’s cyber image internationally is non-negotiable,” he said, commending the Cyber Security Authority and partner law enforcement agencies for their coordinated response. Investigations into the network are ongoing, with authorities expected to determine the appropriate legal and immigration actions against both suspects and alleged victims.
Source: Winifred Lartey
