Ghana Repatriates 120 Nigerians Arrested In Yahoo Boys’ Operation

Ghanaian authorities have repatriated 120 Nigerians arrested during an operation targeting suspected Yahoo boys’ hideouts, while preparing eight other suspects for possible prosecution over alleged cybercrime activities.

Ghana’s Minister of Communications, Sam George, announced the development on Tuesday in a post on X, where he shared a video showing the Nigerians boarding an aircraft for their return home.

The operation, known as Operation Cyberhunt, involved security and intelligence agencies from Ghana, Nigeria, the United States and the United Kingdom.

George expressed gratitude to the Ghana Air Force and the country’s Ministry of Defence for facilitating the repatriation of the Nigerians.

“My sincere gratitude goes to the Ghana Air Force and the Ministry of Defence for facilitating the repatriation of 120 Nigerian nationals who were arrested during Operation Cyberhunt,” he said.

The minister explained that the operation targeted suspected cybercrime centres where trafficked individuals allegedly faced forced labour.

According to him, Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority led the operation in collaboration with local and international intelligence and security agencies.

He said the operation resulted in the rescue of 120 Nigerians who had allegedly been trafficked to Ghana and forced to work in cybercrime networks.

George also disclosed that authorities were processing eight other individuals for prosecution, warning that the country would not provide a safe haven for cybercriminals.

“The team is processing eight other persons for prosecution, and Ghana under President John Dramani Mahama will remain an unfavourable destination for cybercriminals,” he said.

During the operation, security personnel recovered 136 mobile phones, 130 laptops, internet connectivity devices and four motor vehicles, alongside other digital equipment.

One of the vehicles reportedly belonged to an owner in Canada and had been stolen. Investigators also recovered valuable jewellery and 10 Nigerian passports.

The operation comes amid growing international efforts to dismantle cybercrime networks accused of using digital platforms to defraud victims across national borders.

Earlier, United States authorities announced the arrest of 28 suspected fraudsters in Ghana and Nigeria during a separate operation targeting transnational scam networks operating in West Africa.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel praised the cooperation between law enforcement agencies and private-sector partners in the operation.

Patel said investigators arrested dozens of suspected criminals, seized hundreds of electronic devices and identified at least $11 million in funds that could potentially be frozen.

“We arrested dozens of criminal actors, seized hundreds of devices, identified at least $11 million in potentially freezable funds, and truly saved lives,” he said.

The arrests and repatriations highlight the cross-border dimension of cybercrime investigations, as authorities work to identify suspects, recover assets and protect victims of fraud and human trafficking.