US, UK Arrest 28 Suspected Online Scammers in Nigeria, Ghana Crackdown
A joint operation involving the United States and the United Kingdom has led to the arrest of 28 suspected online scammers in Nigeria and Ghana, as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle cybercrime networks operating across West Africa.
The US Department of Justice and the UK National Crime Agency said 19 suspects were arrested in Ghana and nine in Nigeria. Investigators also seized 356 electronic devices and identified at least $11 million in funds that could potentially be recovered. The agencies further reported taking down more than three million social media accounts linked to scam centres in the region.
The operation also secured the release of 117 people allegedly trafficked to Ghana and forced to participate in online fraud. Authorities said arrangements were being made to return the victims to Nigeria. The investigation involved the Nigeria Police Force, Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority and 15 technology companies, including Meta, Microsoft and Google, alongside other law enforcement agencies.
Ghanaian Communications Minister Samuel George said authorities were processing additional suspects to establish the roles they allegedly played in the criminal activities. He said the operation reflected the government’s commitment to tackling cybercrime and preventing Ghana from becoming a destination for criminal networks. George added that the administration of President John Mahama would maintain a firm stance against cybercriminals.
FBI Director Kash Patel credited cooperation between US authorities, African law enforcement agencies and private-sector partners for the arrests, equipment seizures and identification of potentially recoverable funds. He said the operation demonstrated how coordinated enforcement could disrupt scam centres targeting victims across international borders.
In Ghana, authorities arrested 19 suspects in Sasaabi, Accra, and seized 303 electronic devices. Investigators also identified 117 victims of human trafficking and another 89 victims of scams that reportedly caused losses of $8.3 million. The report further stated that, during the last week of September, authorities carried out arrests at six locations, identified 34 trafficking victims and seized 129 electronic devices. The Ghana Police, national security authorities and the Cyber Security Authority worked with support from the UK National Crime Agency, the FBI and Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In Nigeria, authorities arrested nine suspects and seized 53 electronic devices during the enforcement period. The targeted schemes reportedly included impersonation fraud, digital arrest extortion, cryptocurrency investment scams and other online operations targeting victims worldwide. The figures from both countries account for the 28 reported arrests and 356 seized devices.
The operation comes amid growing concern over investment fraud involving cryptocurrency. According to figures cited from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Centre, victims reported 72,984 investment scams in 2025, with cryptocurrency investment fraud accounting for 72 per cent of the reports. Reported losses from investment scams rose from $3.96 billion in 2023 to $5.8 billion in 2024, while losses linked to cryptocurrency investment scams reportedly increased by 24 per cent in 2025 to more than $7.2 billion. Authorities caution that reported figures may not capture the full scale of the problem because many victims do not report their losses.