EOCO apprehends 35 suspects after rescuing more than 200 human trafficking victims at Oyarifa.
In a significant operation against a syndicate that is suspected of enticing and taking advantage of more than 200 people, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has arrested 35 alleged human traffickers.
According to reports, the victims—the majority of whom were foreigners from precarious backgrounds—were kept at Oyarifa in Accra after being deceitfully promised a better life and job prospects in Ghana.
The accused ran a well-organised trafficking network that preyed on victims from a variety of areas, including nearby West African nations, according to Abdulai Bashiru Dapilah, Acting Executive Director of EOCO.
He claimed that promises of better living conditions, education, and well-paying jobs were used to trick the victims.
But when they arrived, they were housed in filthy, cramped quarters, and many of them were exploited and forced to work.
“219 persons were taken into custody at Oyarifa as a result of the successful operation. The defendants allegedly offered the victims high-paying jobs in Ghana in exchange for luring them into the nation. Regretfully, there were no well-paying positions in Ghana when they arrived. They were subsequently forced to engage in cybercrimes and activities related to cybercrime after being taken prisoner and imprisoned at the Oyarifa estates,” he said.
He went on to say that a large number of laptops, internet routers, food items, and other personal belongings that were thought to be equipment utilised in the cybercrime operations were recovered from the site.
He claims that in order to differentiate between victims, suspects, adults, and adolescents, EOCO has started a thorough screening procedure.
“Separating victims from suspects and determining the kinds of criminal activities they may have engaged in are the main goals of the screening process,” he continued.
Since then, the Nigerian High Commission has visited EOCO and spoken with suspects and victims, urging them to fully cooperate with the police.
Although the screening procedure is still under progress, EOCO expects to finish it in the following day. Plans are in place to repatriate victims and reconnect them with their relatives, particularly those from Nigeria.
Additionally, Mr. Bashiru revealed that comparable initiatives are underway in other locations, with plans to pool resources and efforts for long-term effects. He said, “This is just the beginning.” “To destroy these criminal networks and safeguard vulnerable populations, EOCO and the CID are dedicated to collaborating more closely.”
According to one of the victims, who is from adjacent Nigeria, he has been confined to his home in Oyarifa for over a year and has only been given one meal each day.
“The challenging circumstances back home are the reason I travelled to Ghana. I was only told that I would be living with my boss; I wasn’t given any specific instructions on what I would be doing here. However, once I got there, I found out that my supervisor was a fraudster. Considering that we were confined indoors and not permitted to go outdoors, I had no other choice. He explained, “I’ve been in Ghana for a year now.
“My constant prayer is for God to save us. “I have been praying for an opportunity like this,” he remarked.
