Reports indicate that the Ghanaian authorities have deported 16 young Nigerians for committing cybercrime.
It was discovered that the 16 young men were taken into custody in Ghana after agents with the Ghana Economic and Financial Crime department raided their homes.
The returnees claimed they were detained by Ghanaian immigration agents who invaded their home and deported to the country when they were met by immigration officers under the command of the Comptroller, Seme Boarder Command, Chukwuemeka Dika.
One of the deported individuals, a 19-year-old guy from the state of Anambra who claimed that his parents are absent, stated, “It was my friend who connected me to another of his friend that took me to Ghana.
He promised to assist me in finding work as a mechanic, and when I have enough money, I’ll return to my native country.
The 16 deportees who were harvested and brought back to the United States from Ghana have been accused of engaging in cybercrime, according to Comptroller, Seme Border Command Dr. Chukwuemeka Dike, who was speaking about the unfortunate situation.
Preliminary inquiry, according to Dike, “has shown that some of them were enticed into such criminal acts, but others went with the attitude of ‘get rich quick’ mentality that the youths are currently acquiring.
“Some of them are victims, in the sense that they were deceived in the process. Unfortunately, when they get there they are exposed to something different, and they don’t get the actual bargain they were given when leaving the chores of the country.
“Investigation also revealed that they left the country through illegal routes, through the sea, and went into some west African countries, most of them travelled without genuine travel documents.
“So when they got to Ghana they became prey to the authorities, it was easy for the authorities to deport them.”
“The deportees were handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service based on the agency partnership and synergy with other embassies and high commissions all over West Africa community,” he added
He, however, encouraged Nigerians travelling out of the country to get genuine traveller documents as well as have legitimate sources of livelihood.
“The minimum is an ETC, which is an (ECOWAS Travel Certificate). The ETC will make you legitimate for you to cross the borders, from the shores of Nigeria to other countries.”
“Those who are victims will be handed over to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP while those of them who in the process incriminated themselves will be made to answer,” he noted.
It should be recalled that last week 17 trafficked Nigerians were repatriated from Ghana by the Economic and Organised Crime Office, EOCO. The 21 Nigerians were arrested at a location in Accra on September 26 when EOCO stormed in.