The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has received 105 Nigerians returned from Ghana following an operation targeting suspected cybercrime syndicates, with officials preparing to assess their individual circumstances and protection needs. According to the agency, the group formed part of 119 Nigerians recovered during an operation involving Ghanaian authorities. The remaining 14 were still undergoing arrangements for repatriation when the announcement was made. NAPTIP spokesperson Vincent Adekoye said coordination on the Nigerian side involved the Office of the National Security Adviser and several security, intelligence, immigration and humanitarian institutions. Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority and immigration authorities were among the partners involved in the operation.
Receiving the returnees, NAPTIP Director General Binta Adamu Bello assured them of their safety and said the agency would carry out profiling and arrange appropriate support. The screening process is important because people found in online scam operations may have very different experiences and legal circumstances. Some individuals are recruited through deceptive promises of legitimate employment and later forced to participate in internet fraud. Others may have entered such operations voluntarily. The agency has not publicly established which circumstances apply to each of the Nigerians who returned, and none should automatically be classified as either a victim or an offender.
NAPTIP urged Nigerians to scrutinize overseas employment and scholarship offers, particularly arrangements promising unusually high earnings or providing little reliable information about employers and working conditions. Beyond repatriation, the immediate challenge is to identify anyone who has suffered coercion or abuse, provide appropriate reintegration support and investigate the networks responsible for any trafficking or other offenses. Effective screening will be central to ensuring that those in need of protection receive it.
