Ghana has repatriated 120 Nigerian nationals who were rescued during Operation Cyber Hunt, an intelligence-led crackdown on cybercrime centres in the Greater Accra Region. Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George announced the repatriation on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
The minister said the 120 Nigerians had been trafficked to Ghana and forced to work in cybercrime operations. He thanked the Ghana Air Force and the Ministry of Defence for facilitating their return to Nigeria.
Eight other persons are being processed for prosecution, and investigations are ongoing. The minister did not specify the offences they face.
Operation Cyber Hunt: 120 Nigerians rescued from cybercrime compounds
Operation Cyber Hunt was led by the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), working with local security and intelligence agencies.
International partners from the United Kingdom, Nigeria and the United States supported the operation.
According to the CSA, intelligence received on August 26, 2026, pointed to apartments being used for organised cybercrime, including romance scams. The locations included Ubuntu Haven Estate in Kpone Katamanso, Franko Estate in Ga North, and other areas in Ga West.
Items seized in the Operation Cyber Hunt raids
Minister Sam George listed the items seized during the operation:
- 136 mobile phones
- 130 laptops
- Internet connectivity devices
- Four vehicles, one of them reportedly stolen from Canada
- Jewellery
- 10 Nigerian passports
- Other digital equipment
Sam George: Ghana will remain unfavourable for cyber criminals
The minister said the operation reflects the government’s commitment to tackling cybercrime and preventing Ghana from becoming a base for criminal networks.
“Ghana under President John Dramani Mahama will remain an unfavourable destination for cyber criminals,” he stated.
Authorities have not disclosed the identities of those repatriated or the specific cybercrime activities they were allegedly forced to carry out.
CSA and FBI dispute over who led the cybercrime operation
The repatriation comes days after the CSA rejected an account of the operation given by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). FBI Director Kash Patel had posted on X about an “Operation Blackout” in Ghana.
In a statement on October 8, 2026, the CSA said the operation was led and coordinated by Ghanaian authorities and should not be portrayed as one the FBI independently conceived or carried out. GhanaTrends earlier reported on the FBI’s account of the Ghana scam compound bust.
The CSA named the Ghanaian agencies involved as the National Security Council, the Ghana Police Service Criminal Investigations Department, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Office of the Attorney-General. It also acknowledged intelligence support from the FBI and the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), as well as Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The CSA stressed that foreign law enforcement agencies cannot exercise police powers or make arrests in Ghana on their own.
How Ghana’s figures compare with the US Justice Department’s
On October 13, the US Department of Justice released its own details of a wider West Africa crackdown, which it called “Joint Disruption Week”.
- Victims repatriated (Ghana minister): 120 Nigerians
- Victims awaiting repatriation to Nigeria (US DOJ): 117
- Persons facing prosecution (Ghana minister): 8
- Arrests in Sasaabi, Accra (US DOJ): 19, with 303 devices seized
- Scam victims identified in Ghana (US DOJ): 89, with losses of about US$8.3 million
The DOJ said private partners, including Meta, Google and Microsoft, removed more than 3.7 million fraudulent accounts, pages and groups during the effort.
What the repatriation means for trafficking victims and Ghana
For the 120 Nigerians, the repatriation ends their stay in compounds where, according to the minister, they were forced into online fraud.
For Ghana, the operation adds to government efforts to stop the country from being used as a base for international scam networks, which target victims abroad and damage Ghana’s reputation.
For the public, officials have repeatedly linked such compounds to romance scams and other online fraud schemes.
What happens next
The eight persons being processed will face prosecution once charges are finalised. Investigations into the suspects and the seized devices are continuing.
Authorities have not yet said whether more raids are planned or whether further victims remain in Ghana.
Key details at a glance
- Ghana has repatriated 120 Nigerian nationals rescued in Operation Cyber Hunt.
- Minister Samuel Nartey George announced it on October 13, 2026.
- The Ghana Air Force and Ministry of Defence facilitated the return.
- Eight other persons are being processed for prosecution.
- Seized items include 136 phones, 130 laptops, four vehicles and 10 Nigerian passports.
- The CSA led the operation with support from UK, Nigerian and US partners.
- Raids targeted compounds in Kpone Katamanso, Ga North and Ga West.
FAQs
What is Operation Cyber Hunt in Ghana?
Operation Cyber Hunt is an intelligence-led crackdown on cybercrime centres in the Greater Accra Region, led by Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority with local and international partners.
How many Nigerians did Ghana repatriate from cybercrime compounds?
Ghana repatriated 120 Nigerian nationals who, according to Minister Sam George, were trafficked to Ghana and forced to work in cybercrime operations.
How many people face prosecution after Operation Cyber Hunt?
Eight persons are being processed for prosecution, and investigations are ongoing. The specific charges have not been announced.
Ghana’s return of 120 trafficked Nigerians marks a major step in Operation Cyber Hunt, the CSA-led crackdown that also seized hundreds of devices and put eight persons on course for prosecution. With investigations continuing and the CSA insisting the operation was Ghanaian-led, more details on charges and victims are expected in the coming weeks.
