The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has secured the conviction of a Nigerian national for human trafficking and immigration-related offences, resulting in a seven-year prison sentence.
In a statement issued on June 4, 2026, and signed by DSI Barbara Sam, the GIS announced that an Accra Circuit Court sentenced Ada Peace, a Nigerian trader, following an intelligence-led operation that rescued two victims from exploitation.
The operation, conducted by the GIS Asankragwa Sector Command, led to the rescue of two Nigerian victims aged 21 and 13.
Victims Allegedly Lured with False Employment Offers
Presenting the case before the court, Chief Superintendent of Immigration (CSI) John Bernard Otoo said the victims had been recruited from Nigeria under the pretext of being offered employment as shop attendants in Ghana.
However, investigations revealed that upon arrival, they were allegedly forced into prostitution, with proceeds from their activities collected by the convict.
According to the GIS Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons (AHSTIP) Section, the victims were recruited through accomplices based in Nigeria and transported to Ghana, where they were received by Ada Peace at a brothel in Adaase near Asankragwa.
The Service stated that the victims were subjected to spiritual intimidation and coerced into commercial sex work to repay debts reportedly amounting to six million Nigerian naira.
Illegal Entry and Conviction
The prosecution further told the court that Ada Peace and an accomplice, Rejoice Opara, entered Ghana through unapproved border routes in July 2024 and remained in the country without valid immigration permits.
Ada Peace was subsequently charged with four offences, including human trafficking and illegal entry.
While the court convicted and sentenced Ada Peace to seven years’ imprisonment, Opara was fined and discharged.
GIS Issues Warning to Human Traffickers
Commenting on the conviction, Comptroller-General of Immigration, Samuel Basintale Amadu, condemned human trafficking, sexual exploitation and illegal migration, describing them as serious crimes that threaten the safety and dignity of vulnerable individuals.
He warned that persons involved in such activities would be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted, stressing that Ghana’s security agencies would not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable persons or breaches of the country’s immigration laws.
The GIS also urged the public to remain vigilant, warning that traffickers increasingly use social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook, deceptive job offers and fraudulent travel opportunities to recruit and exploit victims.
According to the Service, the conviction forms part of ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking, migrant smuggling and other transnational crimes across the country.
The GIS reiterated its commitment to strengthening intelligence-led operations and collaborating with stakeholders to protect vulnerable persons and disrupt trafficking networks operating within and across Ghana’s borders.
