The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repatriated 44 Ghanaians who were lured to Nigeria under the guise of opportunities linked to the QNET scheme.
The group, comprising 27 men and 17 women, arrived in the country by bus on March 20, 2026, after being rescued from suspected human trafficking camps in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.
Most of the victims are reported to have travelled out of Ghana in December last year in search of better opportunities, but were arrested during an operation by the Nigerian police before their repatriation.
Ordeal in Nigeria
Recounting their experiences, one of the victims, who spent barely a month in Nigeria, said they were apprehended during a late-night operation.
“The police officers were dressed in black and were wearing masks as though it was a kidnapping. Some of us were beaten in an attempt to resist, fearing that we were being kidnapped. I was traumatised,” he said.
Another victim told Graphic Online that they spent four days in a private facility before being returned to Ghana.
On how they were recruited, one victim said she was promised assistance to secure a job in South Africa and paid GH¢16,000 as a service charge, while another said he paid GH¢10,000 for similar arrangements.
One female victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she had been promised travel to South Africa but was instead engaged in selling products on commission upon arrival in Nigeria.
“I left Ghana in December last year, and I was told I’ll be sent to South Africa to work. However, arriving in Nigeria, I was given some health products to sell on a commission basis. Although I sold some, I couldn’t meet the mark to get any commission,” she said.
She added that although they were fed twice daily, the conditions were far from satisfactory and expressed regret over the decision, including the loss of GH¢16,000 given to her by her father.
She appealed to the government to intensify efforts to create jobs for the youth to discourage risky migration in search of opportunities abroad.
Mixed reactions
Graphic Online observed that the returnees expressed mixed feelings upon arrival. While some commended the government for facilitating their return, others were unhappy about the circumstances of their arrest.
Further engagement revealed that much of their disappointment stemmed from the financial losses incurred, with some still holding the view that the venture could have been profitable if they had continued.
Government caution
Addressing the media, the Director of Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, John Kwasi Boakye, cautioned Ghanaians to be wary of fraudulent recruitment schemes.
He urged the public, particularly the youth, to conduct thorough checks with the security services and the Ministry before committing to overseas job offers.
Mr Boakye said the Ministry was intensifying efforts to combat human trafficking and support victims of such schemes, while commending the Nigerian authorities for their cooperation.
He also encouraged the returnees to help raise awareness about the dangers of such recruitment drives.
“We also wish that our citizens would take this opportunity to be ambassadors for the fight against human trafficking and the activities of QNET. A lot is going on in our country.
“We can’t have these people recruiting Ghanaians and putting them under dehumanising conditions in other countries. No one should be a victim of this QNET scam in our country again,” Mr Boakye said.
