Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has disclosed that over 200 Ghanaians trafficked into Nigeria by a fraudulent recruitment syndicate, suspected to be connected to the Q-Net group, have been successfully rescued and repatriated.
Delivering a statement in Parliament on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister also revealed a growing crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, where more than 500 Ghanaians are reportedly still being held hostage by the same criminal network.
“Our mission in Nigeria has recently rescued and repatriated a total of 202 Ghanaians, 78 through the Abuja Mission, and 124 through the Lagos Mission,” Ablakwa informed the House.
He said the syndicate, operating under the guise of facilitating travel to Europe, particularly France, lures unsuspecting victims with promises of high-paying jobs abroad. Victims are deceived into traveling to a supposed transit country—typically Nigeria or Côte d’Ivoire—under the pretext of visa processing delays in Ghana.
“The traffickers lure unsuspecting compatriots to supposed countries under the pretext of facilitating their travels to France or other destinations in Europe or elsewhere for paid jobs. The traffickers entice the victims to the supposed transit country for the processing of their visas, as the procedure takes a long time to complete in Ghana,” the Minister explained.
Ablakwa noted with concern that several Ghanaians who were once victims of the Q-Net scam have now become perpetrators themselves, exploiting new recruits to recoup their personal losses.
He assured Parliament that the Ministry is working in close coordination with national intelligence units, foreign missions, and international law enforcement partners to crack down on the trafficking ring and repatriate all affected citizens.
“The traffickers lure unsuspecting compatriots…” he emphasized, describing the trend as “deeply troubling” and a national security concern requiring sustained vigilance and international cooperation.
According to the Minister, the situation in Côte d’Ivoire is particularly dire due to the covert nature of the operation.
“According to the Ghana Embassy in Abidjan, the clandestine nature of the operations of the scammers and the silent arrival of victims in Côte d’Ivoire make it challenging to determine the number of Ghanaians being held hostage.
The Mission estimates that there are over 500 Ghanaians currently held in secluded locations. Efforts are being made to bring them home,” he added.
Ablakwa reiterated the government’s commitment to intensifying repatriation efforts and dismantling trafficking networks that prey on the hopes of Ghanaian youth seeking economic opportunities abroad.
