The Ghana Police Service has revealed that two Ghanaian women who were recently kidnapped in Nigeria fell victim to a deceptive online romance scam.
The suspects, posing as white men on Facebook, lured the women with fake marriage proposals and ultimately abducted them after they arrived in Nigeria.
With the help of the National Signals Bureau (NSB) and the Nigeria Police Force, the victims—Anastasia Badoo Atta and Serwaa Konadu—were rescued during a coordinated international operation. The dramatic rescue follows the circulation of a disturbing viral video that showed the women being tortured, sparking national outrage.
Law enforcement agencies from both Ghana and Nigeria collaborated closely, arresting eight individuals across different locations in both countries. According to DCOP Lydia Yaako Donkor, head of the CID, the victims traveled separately but were kidnapped upon arrival in Nigeria on April 22, 2025.
Once in captivity, the women were subjected to horrific abuse, including being stripped naked, tied up, assaulted with cutlasses, and threatened with death. The kidnappers recorded the ordeal and sent the footage to the victims’ families, demanding a ransom of GHS500,000 from each. So far, GHS18,000 has been traced to phone numbers linked to the suspects.
DCOP Donkor confirmed that both the victims and suspects are currently in Nigerian custody. Plans are underway to bring the victims safely back to Ghana and extradite the suspects for further investigation.
She also reassured the public, stating, “According to our Nigerian counterparts, the victims have undergone medical checks and are in stable condition.”
