Police in Goaso, Ahafo Region, carried out a multi‑day anti‑human trafficking operation from 30 August to 2 September 2026, rescuing 47 Nigerian nationals and arresting five suspected traffickers. The raid targeted six identified hotspots within local mining communities, according to child‑protection group Challenging Heights.
Of the rescued, 26 have been confirmed as trafficking victims and handed over to Challenging Heights for transport, care and reintegration. At least 16 of those victims are believed to be between 15 and 18 years old. Two suspects have been transferred to Police Headquarters in Accra, while three remain in custody at the Goaso Police Station.
Challenging Heights warned that Ghanaian women, especially young women, are also being recruited for sexual exploitation in the same mining areas. The organisation noted a pattern of deception: young Nigerians are lured with promises of jobs in restaurants, shops and supermarkets, only to find themselves trapped in exploitative conditions under traffickers dubbed “madam”. Survivors report debt bondage, threats, violence and isolation as coercive tactics.
Traffickers reportedly use TikTok to contact potential victims and may be involved in a cross‑border baby‑harvesting and baby‑selling operation, although this claim has not been independently verified. The organisation has rescued 230 Nigerians since 2025, including 81 in 2025 and 102 in the first half of 2026.
Challenging Heights’ Executive Director, James Kofi Annan, urged stronger intelligence sharing and joint investigations between Ghana and Nigeria, tighter monitoring of recruitment and transport channels, and swift prosecution of traffickers and complicit officials. The group also called for enhanced survivor protection, including shelter, healthcare, psychosocial support, repatriation and reintegration.
The operation highlighted the vulnerability of mining communities to trafficking and the need for closer cooperation between Ghanaian and Nigerian authorities to dismantle cross‑border networks.
