The victim, Iddrisu, was lured into Nigeria with the promise of receiving travel documents for migration to Europe.

The Nigeria Police Force has announced the rescue of a Ghanaian national, Sammed Iddrisu, who was trafficked into the country under false pretences and coerced into fraudulent internet schemes.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the operation was conducted by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, in collaboration with operatives from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.

The victim, Iddrisu, was lured into Nigeria with the promise of receiving travel documents for migration to Europe.

Investigations revealed that on January 10, 2025, the victim’s father, Mr. Nartey Louda, was defrauded of GHC 55,000 by a man identified as Attah, who claimed he could secure a French visa for Sammed.

Following the deception, the young man was instructed to travel to Abuja to collect the documents.

However, upon arriving in Nigeria on June 25, 2025, he was unlawfully detained and forced to participate in internet-based scams linked to the QNET pyramid scheme, a notorious fraudulent enterprise that poses as an e-commerce business.

The operation to rescue the victim was launched on June 27, 2025, following intelligence received from INTERPOL NCB Accra, Ghana, on June 16.

Authorities were alerted after another Ghanaian victim managed to escape and report the syndicate’s activities to Ghanaian officials, prompting swift international coordination.

“The criminal syndicate also attempted to manipulate other individuals, including a Ghanian, who managed to escape and return to Ghana, where he reported the incident to the authorities, triggering international coordination and rescue efforts,” the statement said.

According to the statement, the Nigerian police, through surveillance and rapid intelligence-driven action, rescued Iddrisu. Authorities confirmed that reintegration procedures for the victim are currently underway.

The INTERPOL NCB Abuja has initiated efforts to track and prosecute those responsible for the trafficking and criminal scheme.

In light of the incident, the Nigerian police cautioned the public against falling prey to fraudulent migration offers. The Force advised citizens to verify travel arrangements through official diplomatic channels and report suspicious activities to law enforcement.

“The Nigeria Police Force hereby cautions members of the public to exercise due diligence, verify travel-related offers through official diplomatic channels, and report all suspicious persons or activities happening around them through appropriate and official law enforcement channels,” the statement read.