Over 120 Nigerians rescued during an intelligence-led operation targeting cybercrime networks have been repatriated, the country’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam George, said.
TheNewsGuru reports that George made this known in a Facebook post on Tuesday, October 13, revealing the Nigerians had been trafficked to Ghana and forced to participate in cybercrime operations.
The Ghanaian communication minister also said Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority (CSA) led the rescue operation, known as Operation Cyberhunt, in collaboration with local security and intelligence agencies, as well as counterparts in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the United States.
George thanked the Ghana Air Force and the Ministry of Defence for facilitating the Nigerians’ return.
The operation also led to the seizure of 136 mobile phones, 130 laptops, internet connectivity devices and four vehicles, according to the minister.
Authorities also recovered jewellery and 10 Nigerian passports. One of the seized vehicles was reportedly stolen from Canada.
George said authorities were processing eight other individuals for prosecution, though he did not disclose the specific offences they were expected to face.
The repatriation follows an earlier announcement by Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) that 105 Nigerians rescued during the operation had returned home, while 14 others were still undergoing processing as of October 12.
NAPTIP said the Office of the National Security Adviser coordinated the operation after Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority made contact.
The agency said it would profile the returnees to establish their individual circumstances and determine the support required for their reintegration into society.
It also acknowledged the involvement of Nigerian security agencies, the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana and international partners in the operation.
The authorities have not fully disclosed the circumstances surrounding the Nigerians’ recruitment or the specific cybercrime activities they were allegedly forced to carry out.
