Police have dismantled a human trafficking and cyber fraud syndicate operating in Peace Land, Ashaiman, Tema, Ghana, rescuing seven Nigerian nationals who were being held captive and arresting three suspects.
Tema Regional Police Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, October 10, 2025.
According to the statement, the operation was carried out by the Zenu–Atadeka District Police Patrol Team on Tuesday, October 7, at about 4:00 p.m.
The raid led to the arrest of three suspects identified as Peter Okoye, 36, a computer engineer; Jolly Ezekiel, 30; and Jolly Shadrack, 33.
The statement explained that the suspects allegedly lured their victims from Nigeria to Ghana under the pretext of offering them construction work in Tema.
However, upon arrival, the victims were taken to a house at Peace Land, Ashaiman, where they were confined and forced into internet fraud activities.
Investigations revealed that the victims were subjected to severe beatings and forced to swear oaths of allegiance to their captors.
Those who resisted were locked in a small room measuring about 10×12 feet, denied food, freedom of movement, and basic hygiene for several months.
According to the victims, each was given a laptop and trained to create fake romantic relationships with unsuspecting individuals abroad, to defraud them of money. The syndicate reportedly used over 10 laptops for their operations, with senior members supervising and profiting from the proceeds.
A follow-up search at the suspects’ residence led to the retrieval of several items, including laptops, routers, mobile phones, household goods, and foodstuffs.
These have been retained as exhibits to aid the investigation. The seized mobile phones have been forwarded to the Cyber Crime Unit at the Police Headquarters in Accra for forensic analysis.
The suspects appeared before the Ashaiman District Court, presided over by H/W Derick Parden Eshun, on October 9, 2025, and were remanded into Police custody to reappear on October 23, 2025.
They face charges of Conspiracy to Commit Crime, namely Human Trafficking, following a rejection of their pleas.
The victims, who had been held captive for about eight months, have since been rescued and are receiving care.
The Tema Regional Police Commander assured the public that investigations are progressing steadily and that the Command is working with the Ghana Immigration Service to facilitate the safe repatriation and reintegration of the victims with their families in Nigeria.
The Tema Regional Police Commander assured the public that investigations are progressing steadily and that the Command is working with the Ghana Immigration Service to facilitate the safe repatriation and reintegration of the victims with their families in Nigeria.
“The Command reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding public safety and security and urges members of the public to promptly report any suspected human trafficking or cybercrime activities to assist in the ongoing fight against organised criminal networks,” the statement concluded.
