The Ghana Police Service, through its Criminal Investigations Department (CID), has intensified operations against human trafficking, announcing significant rescue missions under the leadership of Director‑General, Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor.
Recent operations
Between 5 and 19 September 2025, the CID rescued 60 victims of human trafficking during a series of coordinated national and cross‑border operations.
COP Donkor revealed that of the 60 individuals, 41 were foreign nationals rescued within Ghana, and 19 were Ghanaians recovered from abroad.
In a post shared on X formerly Twitter, she said, “Human trafficking has become one of our most urgent national security and human-rights concerns. It is a growing menace not only in Ghana but across Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin, and the subregion.”
She stated that she identified human trafficking as one of the country’s most urgent security and human-rights concerns after her appointment as the CID boss.
COP Donkor added that “By mid-2025, Ghana had rescued a total of 131 victims of sex trafficking and cyber-enabled fraud, most originating from Nigeria and about 159 victims of labour trafficking. Another 113 Ghanaians were identified as victims of Q-NET-related recruitment scams originating from the sub-region. These numbers reflected an increasingly complex network combining traditional trafficking with modern cybercrime.”
She cautioned that the number of trafficking cases may be higher, as investigations point to increasingly sophisticated networks.
In an earlier operation, the CID disclosed the rescue of 76 Ghanaian nationals who had been trafficked to Nigeria under false recruitment promises.
The victims had been deceived with offers of lucrative football contracts or overseas jobs and found themselves in exploitative conditions.
Focus on prevention and awareness
COP Donkor emphasised that many traffickers lure their victims by promising employment or training abroad. She warned:
She urged prospective job seekers and their families to perform due diligence on offers before accepting travel arrangements or making payments.
Challenges ahead
Despite these successes, the CID acknowledges the many obstacles ahead:
Trafficking networks shifting tactics — Moving victims through multiple countries or transit points to evade detection.
Resource and coordination constraints — While Ghana has improved in identifying and referring victims, gaps remain in shelter capacity and victim support services.
Reintegration of victims — All rescued victims from the recent operations have reportedly been handed over to relevant authorities for reintegration.
What needs to be done
COP Donkor called for a collective effort from families, communities, social welfare agencies, and law enforcement.
She stressed that while the CID’s operations are critical, community education and early detection play a key role in prevention.
She encouraged those with information or who suspect trafficking to report to the nearest police station without delay.
Looking ahead
While the exact figure of 131 sex‑trafficking victims has not been confirmed in publicly available sources, the recorded rescues underline the severity of trafficking challenges facing Ghana.
Continued transparency, strong multi‑agency collaboration, enforcement of the law, and strengthened victim support systems will be critical in sustaining progress.
COP LYDIA YAAKO DONKOR DRIVES GHANA-NIGERIA PARTNERSHIP TO TACKLE HUMAN TRAFFICKING
In March 2025, Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor was appointed Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service. Her appointment came at a time… pic.twitter.com/0jVVCevpHo
— Lydia Yaako Donkor (@lydiadonkor13) November 10, 2025
