In a series of nightly raids on the outskirts of Accra, the police in Ghana has arrested some 50 Nigerians on suspicion of online fraud, also known as ‘Yahoo Yahoo’.
Ghana has been rife with online scam incidents, as its youth complain of scarce economic prospects.
While Nigeria’s fintech sector has made a name for itself in recent years, the country has also become known for internet scammers as well as scamming crimes [
Ghana arrested almost 50 Nigerians in an operation against online scammers, the government said on Wednesday, 24 December, 2025.
The arrests were made during a raid on the outskirts of the capital city Accra.
Sam George, Ghana’s Information Minister said on his X account that the nighttime raid resulted in the arrest of “48 suspected cybercrime operations,” with the suspects believed to be Nigerian nationals. Those arrested include two women.
While Nigeria’s fintech sector has made a name for itself in recent years, the country has also become known for internet scammers, while also becoming a target for such criminals itself.
Earlier this year, almost 800 people were arrested in capital Lagos, with some 150 of them being Chinese citizens.
What else do we know about the online scammers’ raid?
The 48 suspects are accused of planning and carrying out “romance scams, online investment fraud, impersonation schemes and illicit online gold trading,” the minister said.
Accra has recently introduced restrictions on gold trade, including limits on foreigners’ purchases, in order to combat the country’s informal mining.
Ghana’s youth have also been turning to online scams, saying they have little other chances to make ends meet.
