Police Rescue Trafficked Ghanaian in Abuja

The Nigeria Police Force has rescued Sammed Iddrisu, a Ghanaian national who was lured into Nigeria under the false pretense of securing travel documents to Europe.

The rescue operation, led by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja and operatives of the FCT Police Command, was carried out on June 27, 2025, in Abuja.

According to a press release issued by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, the operation was prompted by actionable intelligence from INTERPOL NCB Accra, Ghana, received on June 16, 2025.

Investigations revealed that on January 10, 2025, the victim’s father, Mr. Nartey Louda, was defrauded of GHC 55,000 by a trafficker identified simply as Attah, who promised to facilitate a French visa and other migration-related documents for his son.

Acting on the fraudulent promise, Sammed Iddrisu traveled to Abuja on June 25, 2025, expecting to receive his visa.

Instead, he was illegally detained and coerced into participating in online scams linked to the QNET pyramid scheme, a criminal operation masked as a legitimate e-commerce business.

The press statement also revealed that another Ghanaian who was similarly deceived managed to escape back to Ghana and reported the incident to the authorities.

This triggered international collaboration between Nigerian and Ghanaian police forces, which ultimately led to Iddrisu’s rescue.

“As part of its ongoing efforts to crush transnational crime syndicates and clamp down on violent crimes such as kidnapping, the Nigeria Police Force… has successfully rescued Sammed Iddrisu,” the statement reads.

Reintegration efforts for the rescued victim are currently underway, while investigations continue to identify and apprehend all individuals involved in the trafficking network.

The Nigeria Police has issued a strong public warning against falling for fraudulent travel schemes and urged individuals to verify all travel-related offers through official diplomatic channels.

“The Nigeria Police Force hereby cautions members of the public to exercise due diligence, verify travel-related offers through official diplomatic channels, and report all suspicious persons or activities happening around them through appropriate and official law enforcement channels,” the Force PRO warned.

The INTERPOL NCB Abuja has also confirmed that legal action is being pursued against the traffickers to ensure they face the full weight of the law.