28 Suspected Scammers Arrested in US-UK Operation Targeting Nigeria, Ghana
Twenty-eight suspected online scammers have been arrested in Nigeria and Ghana during a joint international operation targeting cybercrime networks across West Africa. The operation, led by the United States Department of Justice and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), resulted in 19 arrests in Ghana and nine in Nigeria.
Authorities said the operation also led to the seizure of 356 electronic devices and the identification of at least $11 million in funds that may be recoverable. More than three million social media accounts linked to scam centres in the region were also taken down as part of the crackdown.
In Ghana, investigators reportedly secured the release of 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to participate in online fraud. Authorities said arrangements would be made to return them to Nigeria. The operation also identified an additional 89 victims of scams linked to the investigated networks, with reported losses of $8.3 million.
Ghana’s Communications Minister, Samuel George, said authorities were still processing other suspects to determine their alleged roles in the criminal activities. He added that the government was committed to preventing Ghana from becoming a destination for cybercriminal networks. According to the report, Ghanaian authorities had also repatriated 120 Nigerians following the operation.
The crackdown involved the Nigeria Police Force, Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority and 15 technology companies, including Meta, Microsoft and Google. Other agencies involved included the FBI, the NCA and Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Investigators described the operation as a coordinated effort focused on fraud networks operating across West Africa.
In Nigeria, authorities arrested nine suspects and seized 53 electronic devices during the enforcement period. The targeted schemes reportedly included impersonation scams, fake digital arrest threats, cryptocurrency investment fraud and other online schemes targeting victims around the world.
FBI Director Kash Patel praised the cooperation between law enforcement agencies and private technology companies, saying the operation had led to arrests, equipment seizures and the identification of funds that could potentially be frozen or recovered. He described the crackdown as part of wider efforts to disrupt criminal networks exploiting victims, including people in the United States.
The report also highlighted the scale of online investment fraud. Figures attributed to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Centre showed that reported losses from cryptocurrency investment scams had risen sharply in recent years. Authorities warned that reported figures may not capture the full scale of the problem because some victims do not report their losses. The operation signals a stronger regional effort to combat online fraud and human trafficking, although investigations into the suspects’ alleged roles remain ongoing.