The Nigeria Police Force has successfully rescued two Ghanaian women who were abducted after falling victim to a Facebook romance scam allegedly orchestrated by a cross-border kidnapping syndicate.
The victims, identified as Anastasia Arthur aka Baidoo, 48, and Amaseerwaa Konadu, were rescued on May 1, 2025, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following a joint operation between the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police and the Ghana Police Service.
Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Friday, disclosed that Arthur was lured from Ghana through an online relationship scam that culminated in her kidnapping. A formal complaint was lodged with the National Central Bureau in Abuja on April 27, triggering an immediate investigation.
“Advanced technical analysis provided a lead to the perpetrators’ location, leading to the identification of a syndicate operating across Nigeria and Ghana,” Adejobi stated.
The police arrested Emeka Christian, 27, a Nigerian residing in Bolgatanga, Ghana, who admitted to receiving GH₵10,000 in ransom, which he converted to Naira and transferred to a Nigerian account belonging to Peter Okoye.
Okoye was tracked and arrested in Port Harcourt alongside two other syndicate members: Paulinus Chidokwe and Chinonso Okafor, both aged 35. The two Ghanaian women were found in poor health and rushed to a hospital for urgent care.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the swift operation and reaffirmed the Force’s resolve to combat cross-border crimes and online fraud.
He warned the public to remain vigilant against internet-based scams and reiterated that Nigeria would not tolerate transnational criminal activities.
