202 trafficked Ghanaians rescued, repatriated from Nigeria – Foreign Minister

A total of 202 Ghanaian nationals who fell victim to human trafficking and a scam syndicate operating in Nigeria have been rescued and repatriated, according to Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister revealed that the victims were linked to operations believed to be run by the Q-Net group, a notorious recruitment and trafficking network.

“Our missions in Nigeria have successfully repatriated 202 Ghanaians—78 through the Abuja Mission and 124 via the Lagos Mission,” Mr Ablakwa said.

He further raised concerns about an estimated 500 Ghanaian nationals who are reportedly being held against their will in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Diplomatic efforts are currently underway to identify and safely bring them back home.

According to the Minister, investigations have revealed that some of the ringleaders behind the Q-Net operations in Côte d’Ivoire are themselves Ghanaians—former victims of the same scam—who are now exploiting others in a desperate attempt to recover their personal losses.

“The traffickers lure unsuspecting compatriots under the pretext of facilitating their travel to France or other European countries for lucrative job opportunities. Victims are first brought to supposed transit countries like Nigeria or Côte d’Ivoire, where the scammers claim visa processing is quicker than in Ghana,” he explained.

He assured Parliament that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with national and international security agencies, is intensifying efforts to dismantle the trafficking networks and implement lasting solutions to what he described as a “deeply troubling trend.”