A deceptive football recruitment scheme has been exposed after the Accra Regional Police Command rescued 16 young victims of human trafficking in Ngleshie Amanfro, a suburb of the capital.
The victims, comprising 12 males and four females aged between 17 and 25, were discovered in a residential compound on July 24, following a tip-off regarding a missing teenager from Côte d’Ivoire.
The turning point came when a complaint was lodged about 17-year-old Chaka Kante, who had been missing for nine months after being lured to Ghana under the guise of joining a football team. Acting on this lead, police traced the boy to Toptown in Amanfro, only to uncover a broader trafficking operation.
“Preliminary investigations suggest the victims were duped by individuals linked to a company called Q-Net, who promised lucrative jobs in Europe,” said Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs at the Accra Regional Police Command, in a statement issued on July 30.
Among those rescued were nationals from Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso who had been trafficked under false pretenses, held in cramped conditions, and stripped of their freedoms.
The victims include:
- From Côte d’Ivoire: Denbele Mohammed, Sawadu Razak, Olivier Yasei, Wilfred Kwako, Philbe Kwame, Kante Shamar, Kwame Lambel, Kone Musah, Lasnel Kante, and Chaka Kante.
- From Burkina Faso: Sajor Dijala, Abass Jeril, Wadrago Alice, Nyamego Winkode, Santa Elodi, and Oamba Fatooma.
Police say the victims are currently safe and being housed while arrangements are made with the Ghana Immigration Service for profiling and possible repatriation.
Law enforcement has launched an intensive investigation to track down the traffickers, with arrests expected.
Authorities are warning the public—especially young people and parents—to remain vigilant against fraudulent job and travel offers that prey on economic desperation and ambition.
“We urge the public to report suspicious recruitment activities to the nearest police station. These criminal networks thrive on silence and misinformation,” Supt. Obeng cautioned.
The incident sheds light on the growing use of pseudo-employment fronts—like football trials and travel agencies—to traffic vulnerable youth from West African nations.
