Police have rescued 25 people from a suspected kidnapping operation at New Site, Housing, Effiakuma, in the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipality of the Western Region.
The law enforcement agency also arrested five suspects during the operation, and they are currently in custody.
The kidnapping incident came to light after one male victim in his late twenties escaped from captivity on Sunday afternoon, June 1, 2025.
He made his way to the Effiakuma Zongo area, seeking assistance from a trader. However, a language barrier, as he spoke French, prevented the trader from offering help.
Fortunately, a young man named Abdul Ganiyu arrived and recognised the language as Dyula, which is spoken in parts of Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
The escapee revealed that he and his wife had fallen prey to what seemed to be a recruitment scam.
With this vital information, Ganiyu informed Assembly Member Hamza, and alongside some residents, they organised a rescue team.
The victim guided them to an eight-bedroom apartment near the main campus of Takoradi Technical University.
Upon arrival, they discovered the main entrance and rooms were locked, but were able to force their way inside.
What they found was distressing: the victims, standing upright, looked visibly shaken, gaunt, and pale.
Among those rescued, six were women. The rooms contained no mattresses and were filled only with luggage, talismans, and various voodoo artefacts.
The victims were unable to specify how long they had been held captive. Strangely, none of the neighbours had suspected anything unusual until the escape.
While authorities are still verifying identities, they believe the victims hail from neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire. One individual even requested to call his mother back in his home country.
Investigations are currently underway.
