Nigeria Operation Uncovers Shocking Football Trafficking Scheme Targeting Ghanaians

For young boys across Africa, football is more than just a game it is a ticket to a better life, an escape from poverty and a dream shared by millions.

But for 76 Ghanaians, that dream turned into a harrowing ordeal when they were lured into a sophisticated human trafficking scheme in Nigeria under the pretext of securing professional football contracts and lucrative jobs abroad.

Ghanaian police say the victims, mostly young men brimming with hope, were enticed by promises of placements with foreign football teams, visa assistance, or well-paying positions overseas.

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Instead, their journey ended in overcrowded holding camps and psychological torment.

"The psychological and economic harm caused to these victims and their families is devastating," said Lydia Yaako Donkor, head of Ghana’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), during a press briefing in Accra as per BBC.

"In many cases, the victims are so malnourished and psychologically affected that they are unable to resume their normal lives."

Upon arrival in Nigeria, the trafficked individuals were stripped of their travel documents and mobile phones, leaving them isolated and vulnerable.

According to investigators, they were held in squalid rented rooms, sometimes with up to 40 people crammed together under deplorable conditions.

The captors forced the young men to call their families, pleading for about $1,000 under the pretext of paying facilitation or training fees. The scheme did not end there. Using the victims’ contact lists, the fraudsters also targeted friends and relatives, spinning elaborate lies to extort additional money.

"They are later transferred to 'holding camps'—rented rooms where as many as 40 people are forced to live in substandard conditions," Ms Donkor explained.

"Under pressure, they are coerced into recruiting others, deceiving even their own families and friends."

Between 19 May and 27 June this year, the victims were rescued in a series of coordinated operations across multiple Nigerian states.

The joint effort involved Interpol, Nigerian law enforcement, and Ghanaian authorities, highlighting the international dimension of the trafficking networks that prey on vulnerable youth.

Seven Ghanaian suspects believed to be behind the recruitment scam have been arrested and are expected to face prosecution. Police say their tactics were sophisticated, exploiting both social media and word-of-mouth referrals to lure unsuspecting victims.

In the course of investigations, authorities also uncovered links to QNET, a global lifestyle and wellness marketing company banned in Ghana in 2022 for allegedly running a Ponzi scheme.

Though the company has consistently denied involvement in fraudulent activities, Ghanaian officials maintain that it has been associated with multiple recruitment scams targeting young people desperate for opportunities.

Cases of such deceptive schemes are not uncommon in West Africa, where unemployment and poverty leave many susceptible to offers that appear too good to be true. This incident underscores the urgent need for awareness campaigns and stricter monitoring of recruitment agencies.

Ms Donkor issued a stern warning to families across Ghana to be vigilant and thoroughly verify any offers promising jobs or education abroad.

"She said once the victims are convinced into the scam, they are usually instructed to travel by road to an unfamiliar country," she added.

For the 76 rescued Ghanaians, the nightmare may have ended, but their road to recovery is only beginning.

Authorities are working to facilitate their safe return home, where they will be reunited with their families and offered psychological support.