Kidnapping Syndicate Busted! Ghana Police Rescue 25 Victims in Effiakuma Raid — 5 Suspects in Custody

/ Authorities rescue Ivorian nationals from suspected human trafficking den in the Western Region after a dramatic escape leads to major police operation.

০ 25 Rescued: Victims, including 6 women, freed from captivity in an eight-bedroom apartment in Effiakuma, Western Region.

০ Escape Triggered Raid: A male victim escaped and alerted locals, leading to the discovery.

০ Suspects Arrested: Five suspects in custody; investigation underway to uncover the full network.

Ghana Police raid Effiakuma hideout, rescuing 25 kidnapped victims and detaining
5 suspects linked to the syndicate.

The Ghana Police Service has successfully dismantled a suspected kidnapping and human trafficking operation, rescuing 25 individuals, including six women, from captivity in Effiakuma, within the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipality of the Western Region.

The daring rescue took place on June 1, 2025, after one of the victims — a man in his late twenties believed to be from Côte d'Ivoire — escaped the hideout and reported the ordeal to locals in Effiakuma Zongo, Takoradi.

Eyewitness accounts indicate the man was visibly malnourished and traumatized, unable to speak English and requiring translation assistance from a local named Abdul Ganiyu. Through the translation, it was revealed that the man and his wife had fallen victim to a fraudulent recruitment scheme, only to be held captive in harsh conditions.

Ganiyu quickly notified Assembly Member Hamza Mohammed Ameen Adam, who, along with community members, organized a makeshift rescue mission. Guided by the escapee, the team forced entry into a heavily secured, eight-bedroom apartment near the Takoradi Technical University main campus. There, they found 25 victims locked in unfurnished rooms, with only sparse belongings, voodoo items, and a few suitcases.

“The victims were in dire condition. Many were weak, and some hadn’t eaten properly for days,” Assembly Member Adam recounted. He personally arranged for food and emergency care.

Initial investigations reveal that most of the victims are Ivorians, although their identities are still being confirmed. Meanwhile, five suspects — four men and one woman — have been arrested and remain in police custody for further interrogation.

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Shockingly, neighbors reported no suspicious activity prior to the raid, raising questions about how such an operation managed to evade local detection.

The police are actively investigating the ownership of the apartment, the extent of the trafficking network, and potential accomplices still at large. Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring justice for the victims and tightening security around human trafficking activities in the region.

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