International Diplomatic Consultant, Farouk Al-Wahab, has criticised law enforcement agencies for their inaction in clamping down on known cybercrime syndicates operating within the country.
He revealed that Ghanaian security agencies, including the Police Service, Immigration, Military Intelligence, and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), are fully aware of the locations where cybercrime rings are based. Many of them, he noted, concentrated in urban enclaves where suspects operate in groups of 20 to 40 individuals.
“These groups don’t hide in single rooms. They live in large rented properties, often funded by the proceeds of cybercrime, and are known to the Ghana Police Service. Yet, nothing substantial is being done,” he said.
According to him, the lack of coordinated enforcement, compounded by bureaucratic inertia and a judicial system that often fails to prosecute, has created an enabling environment for these criminal enterprises to thrive.
“The problem isn’t a lack of intelligence. The agencies know where these people live. The question is: does Ghana have the political will to act?” he asked.
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The remarks come on the back of the latest Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO)-led operation that exposed a large-scale human trafficking and cybercrime network based in Oyarifa, Accra, where over 200 foreign nationals were held and forced into cyber fraud activities.
Mr Al-Wahab also emphasised that Ghana is not alone in facing this challenge but warned that without action, the country risks becoming a permanent base for cybercriminals displaced from stricter jurisdictions.
“If we keep shielding known perpetrators—both foreign and Ghanaian—then we’re not only risking our digital security but also the trust of international partners and investors,” he said.
However, in a response to this criticism, the acting Executive Director of EOCO, Abudulai Bashiru Dapilah, offered a more nuanced view of the situation.
He acknowledged that while suspicions may exist about certain areas like Kasoa, enforcement must be guided by concrete intelligence.
“You see, it’s easy to mention that maybe human trafficking is taking place in Kasoa or wherever. But when you get to Kasoa, which part of Kasoa are you going to?
“It’s easy to presume that crimes may be happening in areas with high populations, but if you don’t have solid intel pointing to a specific location, you can’t just go knocking on doors or invading homes. That would be unlawful,” he said.
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