Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has underscored the urgent need for stronger security frameworks to address critical global threats, including cybercrime, terrorism, and food insecurity.
Speaking at a diplomatic gathering at Jubilee House during an annual New Year exchange hosted by President John Mahama, Mr. Ablakwa emphasized the necessity of international cooperation in tackling these challenges.
“Moreover, global economic uncertainties, cybercrime, terrorism, food insecurity, and pandemics are pressing challenges that need a unified response,” he stated.
“These threats to global stability and security make it clear that comprehensive cooperation and stronger security frameworks are necessary,” he added, stressing that collective action was vital in navigating the evolving global landscape.
To reinforce Ghana’s diplomatic strategy, Mr. Ablakwa announced the introduction of a Comprehensive Foreign Policy, which will guide the country’s approach to international relations in a more proactive and strategic manner.
He also revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had established a Delivery Unit to enhance efficiency and responsiveness in diplomatic affairs, ensuring Ghana remains adaptable in an ever-changing world.
Reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to multilateralism, the Foreign Affairs Minister assured the diplomatic corps of the government’s dedication to working closely with international partners to promote peace, security, and economic stability.
He urged continued collaboration to build resilient global systems capable of addressing the pressing threats facing nations today.
In two months, Ghana and 18 other African countries apprehended a total of 1,006 suspects behind ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), digital extortion, and online scams, according to the 2024 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report by INTERPOL.
Operation Serengeti, which spanned from 2 September to 31 October, dismantled 134,089 malicious infrastructures and networks thanks to a joint operation by INTERPOL and AFRIPOL against cybercrime.
During the operation, more than 35,000 victims were identified, and the cases have been linked to nearly USD 193 million in financial losses worldwide.
In Angola, authorities arrested 150 individuals and seized 200 computers and over 100 mobile phones, thereby dismantling a global criminal network running a virtual casino in Luanda that targeted Brazilian and Nigerian gamblers. The operation, which promised commission-based incentives for recruiting new members, defrauded hundreds.
Eight individuals, including five Chinese nationals, were apprehended in Senegal for operating a USD 6 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded 1,811 victims. A search of their residence revealed over 900 SIM cards, USD 11,000 in cash, electronic devices, and identification documents belonging to their victims.
Multiple phones recovered as part of evidence
In Cameroon, a group that operated a scheme that generated over USD 150,000 in membership fees was arrested for trafficking victims from seven countries to operate a deceptive multi-level marketing scheme. Victims were required to pay membership fees and were promised jobs or training, only to be held captive and forced to recruit others to secure their release.
Items recovered in Cameroon. Credit – INTERPOL
Kenyan authorities uncovered a significant online credit card fraud operation responsible for USD 8.6 million in losses. The criminals manipulated banking system security protocols to run fraudulent scripts, transferring stolen funds via SWIFT to businesses in the UAE, Nigeria, and China, as well as to regulated digital asset institutions across multiple jurisdictions. Nearly 20 suspects have been arrested in connection with the scheme.
Also, Nigerian authorities detained a man accused of running fraudulent online investment schemes, amassing more than USD 300,000 by promising high returns on cryptocurrency investments via messaging platforms.
According to INTERPOL, information provided by participating countries including Rwanda, Mauritius and Mozambique, of ongoing cases fed into 65 Cyber Analytical Reports that were produced to ensure actions on the ground were intelligence-led and focused on the most significant actors.
“Private sector partners, including Internet Service Providers, also played a vital role by sharing intelligence, supporting analysis and disrupting criminal activities. They provided on-site support and offered round-the-clock remote assistance to patch vulnerabilities and secure critical infrastructure for the participating member countries,” INTERPOL noted.
Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of INTERPOL, has bemoaned the increasing volume and sophistication of cybercrime attacks, indicating that it “is of serious concern” due to the movement from multi-level marketing scams to credit card fraud on an industrial scale.
“Operation Serengeti shows what we can achieve by working together, and these arrests alone will save countless potential future victims from real personal and financial pain. We know that this is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will continue targeting these criminal groups worldwide.”
Ambassador Jalel Chelba, AFRIPOL’s Executive Director said although his outfit has facilitated key arrests and deepened insights into cybercrime trends, “our focus now includes emerging threats like AI-driven malware and advanced attack techniques.”
Operation Serengeti was carried out with funding of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the German Federal Foreign Office and the Council of Europe.
On a global scale, an operation involving law enforcement from 40 countries, territories and regions has ended with the arrest of over 5,500 financial crime suspects and the seizure of more than USD 400 million in virtual assets and government-backed currencies.
The five-month Operation HAECHI V (July – November 2024) targeted seven types of cyber-enabled frauds: voice phishing, romance scams, online sextortion, investment fraud, illegal online gambling, business email compromise fraud and e-commerce fraud.
INTERPOL also issued a Purple Notice during Operation HAECHI V to warn countries about an emerging cryptocurrency fraud practice involving stablecoin. Member countries were alerted to the “USDT Token Approval Scam” which allows fraudsters to access and control victims’ cryptocurrency wallets.
The two-step approach first lures in victims using romance baiting techniques, instructing them to buy popular Tether stablecoins (USDT Tokens) via a legitimate platform. Once the scammers have gained their trust, the victims are provided with a phishing link claiming to allow them to set up their investment account.
Cybercrime inflicted a $6 trillion cost on the world in 2021, and it is projected to surpass $10 trillion in annual damages by 2025, as reported by the World Economic Forum.
A lecturer at the Department of Management Sciences and School of Business at the University of Education, Winneba, Dr. Vera Akafo Ayitey, shared these insights during the Chartered Compliance and Cyber Analyst (CCCA) Institute’s graduation ceremony at the University of Ghana Business School Graduate Campus in Legon.
Speaking on “Organisational Culture and Fraud Prevention,” Dr. Ayitey emphasized the increasing frequency of cyberattacks, underscoring the critical need for attention to curb this trend.
She highlighted the significance of fostering a cyber-secure culture within organizations at both the management and employee levels.
“In Ghana we can talk about data breaches at ECG and the University of Ghana where peoples’ scholastic financial results were all over the place online. So the question is what happened? Was it systemic failure or human error? she queried.
“There are things that we do privately or things that are confidential which should not come out but through cybercrime, sometimes we hear of such confidential issues. Someone somewhere may be keeping tabs on what we are doing. So issues of confidentiality can be breached,” she said.
Addressing specific instances in Ghana, such as data breaches at ECG and the University of Ghana, where confidential information was exposed online, Dr. Ayitey raised questions about systemic failures or human errors leading to such incidents.
She stressed the leadership role in ensuring organizational resilience to cyberattacks by adhering to cybersecurity protocols and implementing strategies to promote a cybersecurity culture.
Financial losses, damage to reputation, and operational disruptions were cited as consequences of cybercrime, underscoring the need for organizations to prioritize cybersecurity.
Dr. Ayitey also mentioned the broader impact on stakeholders and regulatory scrutiny following cyberattacks.
She emphasized that the fight against cybercrime extends beyond the IT department to include people, processes, and culture, urging collaboration with the IT department to build resilient organizational cultures.
At the graduation ceremony, certificates were awarded to four students who successfully completed the 14 requisite papers.
The awardees included Lance Corporal Apoore Jude Azur of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Mark Gyan of the Bank of Ghana, Sydney Kwakye also of the Bank of Ghana, and Oppong Daniel, formerly of Legacy Capital.
Dr. Theophilus Kwadjo Odjer-Bio, Director at the CCCA Institute, chaired the event and conferred the awards on the graduands.
The Cyber Security Authority has reported that Ghana incurred a loss of GH¢49.5 million in the first nine months of 2023 due to cyber fraud.
Dr. Albert Antwi-Bosiako, the Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, disclosed that the cases reported to the Authority encompassed various cybercrimes such as cyberbullying, online loan app scams, shopping fraud, romance scams, and identity theft, among others.
He emphasized that the recent surge in cyber fraud activities underscores the pressing need to intensify efforts in combatting such criminal activities.
Dr. Antwi-Bosiako further stated that the Authority is actively working on implementing a series of regulatory measures to enhance cybersecurity throughout the country.
Additionally, the Authority has made significant progress in developing a comprehensive cybersecurity framework.
He assured the public of the Authority’s dedication to enhancing online safety and safeguarding the information of both individuals and businesses.
Dr. Antwi-Bosiako also cautioned individuals and organizations to remain vigilant, adopt best practices in cybersecurity, and collaborate with authorities to effectively combat cyber threats.
Between January and June of this year, Ghana recorded direct financial losses of GH¢49.5 million due to cyber fraud activities. These reported losses represent only a fraction of cases reported to government agencies, suggesting that the actual financial losses from unreported cases may be higher.
Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, made this announcement during the media launch of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month in Accra on Sunday.
The theme for this National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is “Promoting a Culture of Digital Safety.” Its goal is to raise awareness among Ghanaians and organizations about the opportunities and threats of cyberspace, promoting the responsible use of online resources for a safer environment.
Dr. Antwi-Boasiako emphasized the need to increase awareness, especially among young people, despite progress in educating the public about cybersecurity issues. He mentioned that the Cyber Security Authority received 41,285 complaints from the public related to cybercrime and other activities between October 2019 and July 2023. Of these, 41 percent were related to online fraud, including shopping fraud, romance fraud, online blackmail, and identity fraud.
Dr. Antwi-Boasiako called for collective and individual responsibility in protecting against digital fraud and encouraged the public to report online fraud issues to the Authority’s toll-free line at 292.
He also urged for better coordination among state agencies responsible for collecting statistics on arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of individuals involved in cyber fraud.
Dr. Antwi-Boasiako highlighted the impact of global digitalization trends on businesses and noted that the government is creating opportunities and interventions for economic growth in this digital era.
Internet penetration in Ghana has significantly increased, with 17 million users in 2022, representing 53 percent of the population. Cybersecurity awareness is part of a global initiative to promote best practices for online safety.
Ghana began its National Cybersecurity Awareness efforts in 2017, leading to the establishment of the National Cyber Security Week, which later evolved into a month-long event.
According to the GSMA Mobile Connectivity Index (MCI) 2023 report, Ghana is ranked fourth in Africa, with a score of 51.4%, showing substantial progress in connectivity over the past five years.
Ghana has also scored well in online security, with a score of 86.69% in the same report, consistent with its score on the ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI).
Dr. Antwi-Boasiako emphasized that Ghana’s efforts to promote a culture of digital safety are based on the country’s cyberculture and societal dimension, as derived from cybersecurity assessments conducted in collaboration with the World Bank and the University of Oxford.
The assessments identified a lack of cybersecurity awareness among the Ghanaian public, inadequate security measures for government e-services, and knowledge gaps in fundamental cybersecurity concepts. The theme for this year’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, “Promoting a Culture of Digital Safety,” aims to address these concerns.
“We expect the media launch to set in motion a month-long national cybersecurity awareness creation that will assemble public and private sector players, cybersecurity professionals, the academia, and representatives from civil society organisations, in preparation for the NCSAM as we seek to encourage every Ghanaian to stay digitally alert,” Dr Antwi-Boasiako added.
In order to ensure the prudent, economical, and effective use of public resources and to create a streamlined mechanism for ensuring that cybersecurity service providers, establishments, and professionals in the nation carry out their duties in accordance with recognized international standards, he called for cooperative efforts to harmonize public procurement processes in the public service.
According to data from October 2019 to July 2023, 45% of recorded cases of internet fraud involved online shopping, investment fraud, romance scams, advance fee fraud, and fraud involving job applications. Cyberbullying (9%; Fake Loan Apps), illegal Access (10%; Account Takeover, Phishing, etc.), and Online Blackmail (13%).
Online Impersonation/Identity theft (8%)
The Point of Contact (PoC) portal has given citizens a way to fact-check information they find online and conduct due diligence before taking certain actions/decisions online, which can be attributed to the high numbers (37,559 (91%) for the direct advisories.
Therefore, people from all walks of life should contact the Cyber Security Authority through one of the channels listed below before making any online commitments, such as financial ones to buy a good, subscribe to a paid service, or make an investment of between GHC50 and thousands of Cedis. They should also avoid visiting or downloading malicious websites or downloading content that could disrupt business operations.
Vice President of IMANI-Africa, responsible for Research and Education, Bright Simons, has claimed that during the year 2021, the Ghanaian government paid an amount exceeding $2 million to an Israeli intelligence firm.
He alleges that the Ghanaian government paid over $2 million to Rayzone, a specialized spy technology company, under the pretext of combating cybercrime.
“In the name of fighting cybercrime, the govt of Ghana paid more than $2 million in 2021 to an Israeli company, Rayzone, which specialises in tapping phones, snooping on people & advanced spyware. Recall that officials of the prev[ious] govt (government) were jailed for bungling a similar deal,” Bright Simons shared in a Twitter post on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
Meanwhile, a report by Bloomberg in May 2023, accused Rayzone Group of using information intended for marketers to help authorities track people through their mobile phones with a product called Echo.
According to the report, an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the UK Guardian revealed that the private Israeli intelligence firm exploited a loophole in a mobile phone network to enable their clients track people around the world.
The investigation established that Rayzone gained access to a global messaging system that allowed the company to “geolocate” mobile phone users across the world.
The activities of Rayzone have raised concerns by data protection activists who say the company is illegally aiding governments to invade the privacy of members of the public.
The e-Crime Bureau’s lead for financial crimes and anti-money laundering, believes that attempts to develop a strong financial sector must consider good cybercrime management.
He added that without urgent attention, innovations in the financial sector stand the risk of not meeting their target. To this end, he advised sector players to collaborate with Law enforcement agencies to share information and coordinate efforts to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.
“Enforcing regulations and directives issued to the industry and also providing training and guidance to financial institutions as well, he said will help them identify and prevent financial crimes.
“Continually monitoring developments in the space to enhance regulations; investing in cybersecurity and financial crimes management; and adhering to industry regulations and guidelines,” are also key measures he advised the landscape to adopt.
He added that organizations must develop effective fraud risk management programme and establish a strong security posture (firewalls, anti-virus software, encryption, and multi-factor authentication) for safety.
Given that more than USD 4.7 trillion is lost annually to occupational fraud worldwide, he urged organizations to perform thorough background checks on staff and contractors while using an intelligence approach to stay proactive.
Banks must continue to adopt best practices to curtail financial breaches – e-Crime Bureau
Building a resilient digital ecosystem is essential for national development and inclusive growth, the vice president said on Monday at the official launch of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in Accra. This is especially true in the age of the fourth industrial revolution, when new and emerging digital technologies and trends, such as social media and fifth generation (5G) networks, are fundamentally altering the business landscape and the nature of work.
“These are just a few examples to emphasise the point that in our current digitalised and interconnected environment, a single cybersecurity incident can affect an entire organisation, a whole nation or the world at large. Therefore, it is critical to build a strong shield against cyber threats and incidents that could undermine our capacity to act and develop,” Dr. Bawumia said in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by the Minister of Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe, during the launch.
According to the World Economic Forum, cybercrime cost the world at least US$6trillion in 2021 and could lead to over US$10trillion in annual damages by 2025. Research by IBM also indicates that it takes 280 days to find and contain the average cyberattack, while the average attack costs US$3.86million.
Touching on the theme for this year’s NCSAM, ‘Regulating Cybersecurity: A Public-Private Sector Collaborative Approach’, Dr. Bawumia said cybersecurity development everywhere is a shared responsibility; and enhancing understanding of the provisions of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) and building synergies among all relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance with them is absolutely critical.
“Creating greater awareness of the law and relevance of cybersecurity regulations among children, the public, businesses and government while highlighting the need for public-private sector cooperation must be paramount. This Awareness Month is therefore important to ensure that everyone is involved in cybersecurity activities to ensure a safer digital Ghana,” he stated.
Deputy Communications and Digitalisation Minister, Ama Pomaa Boateng, who spoke on behalf of sector minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, said activities earmarked for the month-long celebration are designed to enhance public-private sector understanding of the cybersecurity law and provide a platform for industry players and stakeholders to make inputs into activities currently being implemented by the CSA.
NCSAM, she further noted, is part of global efforts to raise awareness on cybercrime trends, cybersecurity issues and cyber hygiene practices; as well as to dialogue and highlight the growing cybersecurity issues under specific thematic areas.
“The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation is committed to this programme, and I urge public and private sector institutions and Civil Society Organisations to participate fully in the NCSAM 2022 activities this October by organising awareness programmes for their stakeholders and constituents,” she stated.
The Acting Director General of the Cyber Security Authority, Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, said cybercrimes and cybersecurity-related matters are borderless and thus both local and international collaborations are paramount in tackling them; and collaborations with various stakeholders play a significant role in ensuring the CSA executes its mandate successfully.
He said the CSA looks forward to working closely with the Industry Forum, which is to be established under section 81 of Act 1038.
“The Industry Forum’s establishment and operationalisation will undoubtedly bring the private sector and industry players together to work closely with the Authority on cybersecurity matters. International cooperation has also been key to Ghana’s cybersecurity development, as we have benefitted enormously through exchange of experiences, joint exercises, capacity-building programmes as well as intelligence-sharing on cyber threats, among others,” he stated.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has said that Ghana could win the fight against cybercrime activities if stronger systems are in place.
According to him, those engaged in cybercrime activities are always improving upon their modus operandi, insisting that it is only stronger systems that could counter and triumph over them.
For instance, he said that Ghana’s cybersecurity machinery should be linked to the Information Communication Technology Department of the Parliament of Ghana, believing that would contribute to curbing the menace.
“As we move towards a cashless economy, there is the need to build stronger systems to counter cybercrime. This is very important as we develop as a country”, he noted.
The Speaker made this observation when a delegation led by the Executive Director of the Center for Cyber Watch and Data Protection paid a courtesy call on him.
Commenting further on the issue, Rt. Hon. Bagbin said there is also the need to work on the mindset of Ghanaians and as well, raise awareness in order to bring change.
His comment follows a report by the Director of the Center for Cyber Watch and Data Protection, Abubakar Issakar, that cybercrime activities were on the rise in the country.
As a part of the measures to curb the menace, Mr. Issakar proposed the need to build a cybersecurity system for Parliament.
Further to that, he proposed the need to scale up advocacy for cybersecurity and capacity building for medium and small-scale enterprises.
Mr George Massih, General Manager, AshFoam Ghana, says the activities of cyber criminals are targeting the activities of the furniture and bedding producing company.
Mr Massih said Ashfoam as an organization had issues with cybercrime activities where people had been imitating the websites, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms of the company and putting up fake accounts and numbers to dupe clients.
“This is a big problem and very alarming to us as an organization and other companies but it looks like authorities do not seem equipped to handle this kind of threat,” Mr Massih said.
He made the statement when Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, Organizing Secretary and aspiring presidential candidate of Ghana Journalist Association ( GJA) paid a visit to the Ashfoam head office in Accra.
He added that Mr Dwumfour was familiar with the distress and challenges of the Organization and was hopeful he would continue from where the predecessor’s left off when given the opportunity as GJA President.
Mr Massih said the Organization had directly employed 4000 and about 13000 indirectly but the high rate of sneaking second hand mattresses and products into the country was affecting them, saying it might lead to a decline in employment rate if authorities did not stop it.
“We have tried as much as possible to stop this activity but it is still prevailing so we need a voice to let the authorities know and realize that it is still happening and affecting us, because we cannot compete with something that is free, “he added.
He urged the Media, GJA to engage authorities on pressing issues affecting organizations, to let authorities know and understand their plight and hold them to task.
Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, Organizing Secretary, and aspiring President of GJA, said there was the need to strategically positioned GJA to deepened and strengthened the relationship that existed between the Association and other corporate bodies to understand their plight, and challenges confronting them and informed authorities to come to their aid.
He said the meeting was to assure the Organization that as the National Organizing Secretary, an executive and aspiring candidate for GJA, would work closely with support and ensure that businesses thrive and grow in an enabled environment, championing and protecting local businesses.
Mr Dwumfour appealed to the media to cease unnecessary attacks on businesses, adding that organisations had endured trying moment under Covid-19 and there was the need for surviving businesses to be protected.
” We don’t need to encourage attitudes where somebody will deliberately attack businesses for their selfish gain because if the corporate thrives in an enabling business environment, the media stand to gain, “he said.
Mr Gabriel Asante Bosompem, the campaign manager, urged all aspirants to understand each other and remained calm, truthful and be factual about issues on the ground.
Head of the National Cyber Security Centre, Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, has urged government to prioritize implementing measures that allow for the criminal justice sector to investigate and prosecute cyber criminals.
According to him, the lack of successful investigations and prosecutions of cyber crime related cases has since led to an influx of cyber criminals in the country.
Speaking at a forum on Cyber Crime and Electronic Evidence for Criminal Justice officials, Dr Antwi-Boasiako explained, “The reason why investigations by the criminal justice sector have been a daunting challenge is because developing a case against a cybercriminal does not assume the form of traditional crimes which occur outside the cyberspaceâ€
“This requires the gathering of electronic and evidence which is very delicate and could disappear with time because authorities responsible for handling such cases usually face an uphill task when drawing conclusions due to jurisdictional and cross-border related challenges,†Dr Antwi-Boasiako explained.
“Additionally, the lack of relevant and up-to-date legislations to address issues of digital forensics and electronic evidence, knowledge and relevant experience by investigating, prosecuting, and judicial authorities also pose a challenge as well as lack of domestic and international cooperation arrangements to deal with existing and emerging cybercrime trends,†he added.
Dr Antwi-Boasiako noted government through the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) of the Ministry of Communications has introduced a number of interventions to address the challenges.
“Through our collaboration with our partners, we have built capacity in the criminal justice sector, particularly the training of investigators, prosecutors and judges on cybercrime and electronic evidence and the facilitators of this course have been accredited by the Council of Europe as qualified Trainers who are now leading the capacity building efforts across the country,†he stated.
Meanwhile, a report by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service has indicated that Ghana lost US$105 million and US$9.8 million to cybercrime in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, on her part, has disclosed that a draft bill intended to revise Ghana’s National Cyber Security Policy will go before Parliament for consideration before the end of 2020.
The bill, according to the minister, will further improve the regulatory regime and interventions for cyber security in Ghana.
Twelve Nigerians are currently in the custody of the Prampram Divisional Police Command, on charges of trafficking and cybercrime-related offences.
The suspects who also entered the country illegally were picked up from their hideouts after months of surveillance on their activities by the police.
The suspects, Samuel John 23, Akosi Buatsi 28, Happy Ebogum 20, Salami Shadrack 21, Julius Eluji 23, Michael Agli 30, Francis Edunuyi 21, Victor Osazi 22, Nosa Osunubum 27, Favour Edupolor 20, Albert Esawo 24, and Collins Osunubum 26, who are all Nigerian nationals, were picked up by the police on August 1st, from their hideout at the Emef Estate in Prampram.
Briefing the press, Divisional Police Commander, Chief Supt Foli Washington, said the arrests were effected after weeks of surveillance, following a report by six of the suspects, who had confessed to the police of being trafficked into the country last year by ring leader, Collins Osunubum, to work as cyber fraudsters.
According to the commander, the six suspects had to escape from their masters and report to the police following the harsh treatment meted out to them, anytime they failed to collect monies from their victims.
He said items retrieved from the suspects, include laptops and other gadgets used for their activities.
Chief Supt Washington, further advised Landlords and house owners to contact the police anytime they intend to rent out their houses and rooms to foreigners, so they undertake the needed background checks, to prevent the influx of criminal minded illegal immigrants.
Meanwhile, the 12 suspects are expected to be handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service for onward deportation.
Eighteen foreigners who allegedly entered the country illegally to engage in cybercrime have been put before the Wa Circuit Court.
The accused, believed to be Nigerians, were arrested last Saturday after they had duped unsuspecting people of various sums of money.
The accused persons are facing three counts of obtaining electronic medium falsely, possession of illegal devices and failing to comply with the imposition of a ban on travel into the country.
They are Emmanuel Ogunoyibo, 24; Emmanuel Ukoh, 21; Chigozirim Adindo, 24; Rex Chigozie, 23; Anthony Chukwuma, 25, and Chukwu Chinonso, 22.
Others are Simon Daniel Tochukwu, 23; Dickson, 29; Uwazie Christogonus, 22; Joshua Chigozie, 21; Anthony Chukwuma, 28, and Bright Chiadighikaobi, 35.
The rest are Henry I Dey With You, 25; Wisdom Ejmadu, 25; Ekene Okoro, 26; Victor Ejike, 26; Peter Emeka, 20, and Abana Udochukwu, 25.
Their pleas were not taken and they were remanded in police custody to reappear today.
Prosecution case
According to the prosecutor, Superintendent Mr R.A. Boateng, the 18 Nigerians claimed they entered the country somewhere in April this year through unapproved routes at the time the borders had been closed due to the COVID -19 pandemic.
He said upon their entry, they travelled to Wa where they rented two houses at Dobile, a suburb of Wa, from where they operated their cybercrime activities.
Upon intelligence gathered, a team of security personnel swooped on the two houses in the early hours of Saturday to arrest them.
During the search conducted in their rooms, the police retrieved items including 22 laptop computers and their accessories, 11 mobile phones and a camera which were believed to be used to commit the crime.
