Two Ghanaian women who were lured to Nigeria under the pretense of romantic relationships with foreigners have been rescued following a coordinated effort by Ghanaian and Nigerian security agencies. The women, Anastasia Baidoo Arthur and Evelyn Konadu, became victims of a carefully orchestrated romance scam that culminated in their kidnapping and assault.

At a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), DCOP Lydia Yaako Donkor, disclosed that the victims had been contacted through Facebook by individuals posing as white men offering marriage. “These suspects met the two victims, Anastasia Baidoo Arthur and Evelyn Konadu through their Facebook accounts. The suspects posed as white men who wanted to marry the victims. The two unsuspecting victims became convinced and accepted the marriage proposals,” DCOP Donkor revealed.

The two women, although traveling separately, arrived on the same day April 22, at a location in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where they were immediately kidnapped. Investigations pointed to the involvement of a syndicate composed of Peter Okoye, 31; Paulinus Chidokwe, 35; Chinoso Okafor, 35; and Christian Emeka. Two of the suspects, Okoye and Emeka, were previously based in Ghana and had worked with QNET before returning to Nigeria. Emeka later re-entered Ghana in 2024 before taking part in the abduction plan.

DCOP Donkor described the operation as part of a larger network of romance scams operating across both countries. “Peter Okoye, Christian Emeka and Basil Okonkwo, all Nigerians were into romance scam in Nigeria and Ghana,” she said.

After the abduction, the women were subjected to horrifying abuse. They were stripped naked, tied up, beaten with machetes, and threatened with death. Their captors covered their heads with black polythene, wrapped them in bedsheets, and told them they would be hanged using nylon ropes. The ordeal was recorded and the footage circulated on social media. Ransom demands of GH₵500,000 each were sent to their families along with the videos.

“Videos of the torture were shared widely on social media and used as a tool to extort families,” DCOP Donkor said, adding that before the suspects were apprehended, GH₵18,000 had already been sent via mobile money to various accounts linked to the group.

The successful rescue operation involved collaboration between the Ghana Police Service, the National Signals Bureau (NSB), and the Nigeria Police Force. Eight suspects were arrested at various hideouts in both countries. DCOP Donkor confirmed that steps are now being taken to bring the victims back to Ghana safely. “The Ghana Police Service is collaborating closely with Nigerian authorities to expedite the return of the two victims and suspects back to Ghana,” she said. “As of today, both suspects and victims are with the Nigerian authorities, and efforts are being made to transport the victims to Ghana.”

She also indicated that the suspects would be extradited to Ghana to assist in ongoing investigations.

Police are urging the public to be cautious when engaging in online relationships and to report suspicious behavior to the authorities. The case has reignited calls for more stringent oversight of internet-based crimes and increased cross-border cooperation to curb the growing threat of cyber-enabled scams.