In a significant operation, Ghanaian police have successfully rescued 76 individuals who fell prey to a fraudulent football recruitment scheme in Nigeria. These young men were reportedly enticed with false promises of football contracts with prominent international teams, job offers abroad, and assistance with visa applications. Upon their arrival in Nigeria, their travel documents alongside mobile phones were confiscated, and they were forced to live in overcrowded and squalid conditions.
Desperate to escape, the victims were coerced into contacting their families for financial support, requesting up to $1,000 (£727) under the pretense of covering training or facilitation fees. Alarmingly, the traffickers also misused the victims' contact lists to further exploit their friends and relatives.
The investigation, led by Ghana's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), resulted in the arrest of seven Ghanaian suspects. Lydia Yaako Donkor, head of the CID, noted that this operation was executed with the collaboration of Interpol and Nigerian law enforcement, rescuing the victims from various locations in Nigeria between May 19 and June 27. While the survivors are awaiting repatriation to reconnect with their families in Ghana, Donkor emphasized the importance for families to thoroughly vet lucrative job offers abroad.
Donkor warned that those lured into such scams often travel overland to unfamiliar territories and are subsequently placed in "holding camps" where they are living with as many as 40 others in dire conditions. Under immense pressure, they are sometimes compelled to recruit additional victims, leading to a cycle of deception affecting even their close relatives.
The situation remains dire, with many victims suffering from psychological and physical harm, rendering them unable to return to their previous lives. The CID highlighted that this kind of exploitation is becoming increasingly common in both Ghana and Nigeria, and they are actively working to apprehend all individuals involved in the scam. Additionally, QNET, a global lifestyle company allegedly connected to the recruitment operations, was banned from operating in Ghana in 2022 due to claims of running a Ponzi scheme, although the company denies any wrongdoing.
Authorities continue their efforts to combat similar human trafficking schemes prevalent in the region, hoping to avert further tragedies linked to false job offers and fraudulent enterprises.
Desperate to escape, the victims were coerced into contacting their families for financial support, requesting up to $1,000 (£727) under the pretense of covering training or facilitation fees. Alarmingly, the traffickers also misused the victims' contact lists to further exploit their friends and relatives.
The investigation, led by Ghana's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), resulted in the arrest of seven Ghanaian suspects. Lydia Yaako Donkor, head of the CID, noted that this operation was executed with the collaboration of Interpol and Nigerian law enforcement, rescuing the victims from various locations in Nigeria between May 19 and June 27. While the survivors are awaiting repatriation to reconnect with their families in Ghana, Donkor emphasized the importance for families to thoroughly vet lucrative job offers abroad.
Donkor warned that those lured into such scams often travel overland to unfamiliar territories and are subsequently placed in "holding camps" where they are living with as many as 40 others in dire conditions. Under immense pressure, they are sometimes compelled to recruit additional victims, leading to a cycle of deception affecting even their close relatives.
The situation remains dire, with many victims suffering from psychological and physical harm, rendering them unable to return to their previous lives. The CID highlighted that this kind of exploitation is becoming increasingly common in both Ghana and Nigeria, and they are actively working to apprehend all individuals involved in the scam. Additionally, QNET, a global lifestyle company allegedly connected to the recruitment operations, was banned from operating in Ghana in 2022 due to claims of running a Ponzi scheme, although the company denies any wrongdoing.
Authorities continue their efforts to combat similar human trafficking schemes prevalent in the region, hoping to avert further tragedies linked to false job offers and fraudulent enterprises.