Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has rejected suggestions that the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) independently led a recent operation targeting suspected cybercrime centres, insisting that Ghanaian authorities planned and coordinated the exercise.
In a statement posted on X on Friday, the CSA said “Operation Blackout”, also known as “Operation Cyber Hunt”, was conducted under Ghanaian leadership, with support from local and international law enforcement agencies.
The Authority said it had taken note of an account of the operation shared by FBI Director Kash Patel, rejecting any suggestion that the FBI independently conceived, commanded or executed the exercise.
According to the CSA, the operation involved Ghana’s National Security Council, the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service, the UK’s National Crime Agency, the FBI, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Ghana Immigration Service and the Office of the Attorney-General, among other agencies.
The Authority stressed that the operation was conducted within Ghana’s legal framework and that foreign law enforcement agencies could not independently exercise police powers or make arrests in the country.
It acknowledged the intelligence support provided by the FBI and the UK’s National Crime Agency but called on the FBI to clarify its public account and recognise the contributions of Ghanaian institutions and other participating agencies.
The operation reportedly led to the arrest of eight suspects and the rescue of 120 people suspected of being trafficked and exploited in online fraud schemes across parts of the Greater Accra Region.
The CSA said intelligence received on August 26, 2026, linked apartments at Ubuntu Haven Estate in Kpone Katamanso, Franko Estate in Ga North and other locations in Ga West to organised cybercrime, including romance scams.
Items recovered included 136 mobile phones, 130 laptops, internet devices, four vehicles, jewellery and 10 Nigerian passports. One of the vehicles was reportedly stolen from Canada.
The Authority said most of the rescued victims were Nigerians, with arrangements underway for their repatriation. Investigations into the suspects and seized electronic devices are continuing.
Reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to tackling cybercrime, the CSA said the country would not serve as a safe haven for criminal networks, adding that victim protection, evidence preservation, due process and prosecution remained priorities.
