Nigeria has received 105 citizens rescued from cybercrime operations in Ghana, while 14 others remain in the process of repatriation following a coordinated operation targeting criminal networks operating across borders.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) disclosed the development on Monday, saying the operation was coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) after Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority sought assistance.

According to the agency, Ghanaian authorities rescued 119 Nigerians during the operation, but only 105 had been returned to Nigeria as of the announcement.

NAPTIP Director-General Binta Lami Adamu Bello received the returnees on behalf of the Federal Government and assured them of their safety as officials began procedures to establish their individual circumstances and determine the assistance they might require.

The agency said the returnees would undergo profiling and reintegration processes designed to safeguard their welfare, dignity and protection.

The operation involved several Nigerian security, intelligence and immigration institutions, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.

The Nigerian High Commission in Ghana and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria also participated, alongside other partners.

NAPTIP commended Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority and Immigration Service for their roles in the operation. It also acknowledged the support of the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and Nigerian agencies involved in coordinating the rescue and return.

Questions over recruitment and exploitation

The operation has drawn attention to the risks faced by Nigerians who travel abroad after accepting employment and other opportunities that may expose them to criminal networks.

NAPTIP urged Nigerians to exercise caution when considering overseas employment, scholarships and similar offers, particularly those involving unrealistic financial promises, unclear job descriptions or suspicious recruitment arrangements.

However, the agency’s announcement did not establish whether all 105 returnees were victims of human trafficking, whether they had been forced to participate in cybercrime or whether some had knowingly engaged in illegal activities.

Their individual circumstances are expected to be assessed during the screening process. That distinction is important because people trafficked into online scam operations may be compelled to commit fraud under threats, coercion or other forms of control.

The United Nations has previously documented abuses against people trafficked into scam centres, including deceptive recruitment, restrictions on movement and physical violence.

The case highlights the challenge facing authorities as human trafficking and cybercrime increasingly intersect, requiring investigators to distinguish between suspected offenders and people exploited by criminal networks.

NAPTIP said it would continue working with Nigerian institutions and international partners to combat human trafficking and related exploitation.

The rescue underscores the growing challenge facing Nigerian authorities as criminal networks operating across borders exploit vulnerable people for illicit activities. Investigators must establish whether the returnees were trafficked, coerced into cybercrime or involved in the operations voluntarily, a distinction that will shape the next steps in the case.