Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced that 202 Ghanaian nationals who were trafficked to Nigeria under false pretenses have been successfully rescued and repatriated.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister linked the victims to a fraudulent recruitment and trafficking syndicate known as Q-Net.
“Our missions in Nigeria have successfully repatriated 202 Ghanaians—78 through the Abuja Mission and 124 via the Lagos Mission,” Mr Ablakwa disclosed.
The Minister also raised fresh concerns over the fate of more than 500 Ghanaian citizens reportedly being held against their will in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
He revealed that these individuals are believed to have fallen victim to similar trafficking schemes. Mr Ablakwa assured the House that ongoing diplomatic engagements aim to safely identify and bring back all affected persons.
He further noted that some ringleaders behind Q-Net’s Côte d’Ivoire operations are Ghanaians who were once victims themselves and are now perpetuating the scam to recover personal losses.
According to the Minister, the traffickers deceive victims by promising job opportunities in Europe, typically France, with stops in supposed “transit countries” like Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire where visa processing is claimed to be faster.
He emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with both local and international security agencies, is intensifying efforts to dismantle the trafficking networks.
Mr Ablakwa described the situation as a “deeply troubling trend” requiring swift and sustained countermeasures.
