The Ghana Police Service and the Nigeria Police Force have strengthened their partnership with the establishment of a Joint Task Force (JTF) aimed at tackling human trafficking and cyber-related crimes across West Africa.
The decision followed a high-level bilateral meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria, on Friday, November 7, 2025, where both countries reaffirmed their commitment to intensify cross-border cooperation against transnational criminal networks.
The meeting was co-chaired by COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, and Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Sadiq I. Abubakar, mni, PhD, of the Nigeria Police Force. It was attended by senior representatives from law enforcement, immigration, intelligence, and diplomatic agencies of both nations.
Discussions centered on the evolving nature of human trafficking, its growing intersection with cybercrime, and the urgent need for enhanced intelligence sharing and joint operations to curb the menace within the sub-region.
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DIG Abubakar praised Ghana’s CID leadership for initiating the meeting during the INTERPOL Africa Regional Conference in South Africa earlier this year, describing the collaboration as a major step toward strengthening regional policing.
COP Donkor, for her part, expressed gratitude to Nigerian authorities for their support and reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to deepen cooperation through coordinated investigations and shared enforcement strategies.
As part of the outcomes, both countries agreed to:
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Establish a Joint Task Force to manage cross-border trafficking cases;
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Appoint focal officers for real-time intelligence exchange;
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Develop standard protocols for victim repatriation and referral;
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Conduct joint public awareness campaigns targeting young people and border communities; and
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Convene a meeting of West African Police Chiefs to align regional strategies against human trafficking and cybercrime.
The session concluded with the signing of a joint communiqué, reaffirming Ghana and Nigeria’s shared resolve to dismantle trafficking networks, protect victims, and sustain bilateral dialogue under the frameworks of ECOWAS and INTERPOL.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem