Ghana has pushed back against claims surrounding a recent operation targeting suspected cybercrime centres in the country, insisting that its security agencies led the exercise despite the involvement of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The Ghanaian Cyber Security Authority (CSA) said the operation, tagged “Operation Blackout”, also known as “Operation Cyber Hunt”, was conceived, coordinated and executed by Ghanaian authorities, with intelligence and other support from international partners.
The clarification followed a post by FBI Director Kashyap Pramod Patel on X concerning the operation.
In a statement published on its X handle on Friday, the CSA said it would not accept any account suggesting that the FBI independently planned or commanded the exercise.
“The Authority rejects any portrayal of the operation as independently conceived, commanded or executed by the FBI,” it said.
The Authority explained that it coordinated the operation alongside Ghana’s National Security Council and the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.
Other agencies involved included the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), the FBI, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Office of the Attorney-General.
The CSA emphasised that the operation was conducted under Ghanaian law and within the country’s established institutional structures.
It noted that foreign law enforcement agencies could not independently exercise police powers or conduct arrests on Ghanaian soil.
“Ghanaian authorities planned, coordinated and executed the operation within Ghana’s legal and institutional frameworks,” the statement said.
Despite the disagreement over operational leadership, the Authority recognised the role of the FBI and the NCA in supplying intelligence that helped advance the investigation.
It described international collaboration as critical to addressing cybercrime, given the cross-border nature of many criminal networks.
However, it insisted that cooperation must not lead to inaccurate representations of the responsibilities undertaken by individual agencies.
The CSA therefore urged the FBI to clarify its public account of the operation and acknowledge the contributions of the Ghanaian agencies and other international partners involved.
The controversy emerged after the operation uncovered suspected cybercrime facilities in parts of Ghana’s Greater Accra Region, leading to the arrest of eight suspects and the rescue of 120 people suspected of being victims of human trafficking and exploitation for online fraud.
According to the Authority, intelligence received on August 26, 2026, pointed to the alleged use of residential apartments for organised cybercrime, including romance scams.
The properties identified included locations at Ubuntu Haven Estate in Kpone Katamanso, Franko Estate in Ga North and other areas in Ga West.
During the operation, security personnel recovered 136 mobile phones, 130 laptops, internet connection equipment, four vehicles and other digital devices.
Jewellery and 10 Nigerian passports were also reportedly recovered. One of the vehicles was suspected to have been stolen from Canada.
The CSA said most of the rescued individuals were Nigerians and that arrangements were underway to facilitate their return home.
It added that investigations into the arrested suspects and the electronic devices recovered during the raids were continuing.
The operation highlights the growing international effort to dismantle cybercrime networks that allegedly use human trafficking victims to carry out online scams.
Reiterating Ghana’s position, the Authority said the country would not provide a refuge for criminal organisations, regardless of their methods or international connections.
It said its approach would continue to prioritise the protection of victims, the preservation of evidence, adherence to due process and the prosecution of offenders.
The CSA also expressed its willingness to engage with international partners to ensure that future public statements accurately reflected the contributions of all agencies involved in joint law enforcement operations.
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