Thirty-four Ghanaians have been rescued from an alleged fraudulent social marketing network operating in Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria, following a joint operation involving Black Angels PI, Ghone TV and the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service.
The operation, conducted with support from the Kogi State Vigilante Service, targeted three reported camps where Ghanaian nationals were believed to have been held after being lured with promises of travel and opportunities abroad.
During a raid on one of the camps on a Friday night, 33 Ghanaians, including 12 females, were rounded up. Among them was a man identified as the alleged kingpin of the camp, Iddrisa Ishahu. The group was taken to the Kogi State Vigilante Service station for screening.
At the station, the Comptroller of the Kogi State Command invited an additional female Ghanaian, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 34.
Those rescued included nurses, mechanics, cocoa farmers and teachers. They had reportedly paid varying sums of money towards promised journeys to Belgium, the United Kingdom, France and Canada among other destinations.
One of the victims, David Damoah, reportedly told the rescue team, he paid 300,000 cedis for a promised trip to Belgium.
He was allegedly drawn into the network and made to recruit others using the same methods through which he had been lured.
Interviews conducted during the operation also raised concerns about the alleged use of familiar network marketing platforms as a cover for the activities.
These claims were made by some of those interviewed and have not, on the information available, been independently established.
The operation team, however, encountered an unexpected challenge after the Kogi State Immigration Command was invited to assist with screening the rescued Ghanaians. Following misunderstandings, members of the team were detained and held at a migrant holding centre in Abuja for close to three weeks.
Their release followed personal intervention by Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Baba Sadique, after efforts involving relatives, EIB management, Ghana’s Inspector-General of Police and other officials.
The rescued Ghanaians were subsequently transported safely to Ghana and handed over to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service for further investigations and action.
The operation has drawn attention to the growing risks associated with fraudulent travel-abroad schemes targeting Ghanaian job seekers and other unsuspecting people.
It also highlights the need for stronger public education, cross-border security cooperation and sustained investigations to identify and dismantle the networks behind these schemes.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh B Peter Quao Adattor
