In a shocking turn of events, Ghanaian authorities have deported a 55-year-old Nigerian man, Aremu Adegboyega, after convicting him of smuggling counterfeit currency worth over $100,000 into the country.
According to The Chronicle Ghana, Adegboyega was apprehended in 2023 by customs officials at the Aflao border while riding as a passenger on a motorcycle.
His suspicious behavior prompted a search of his belongings, which led to the discovery of massive bundles of fake CFA francs totaling CFA 80,653,000 and Nigerian naira worth N101,500.
Justice Christiana Cann of a Circuit Court in Accra found Adegboyega guilty on multiple charges. He was sentenced for possession of forged currency in breach of Section 18(2) of Ghana’s Currency Act, 1964 (Act 242), and for entering Ghana through an unauthorised route.
The charges carried fines of GH¢3,000 and GH¢1,440 respectively, or a two-year prison sentence with hard labour if unpaid. Both sentences were set to run concurrently.
The Ghana Immigration Service was directed to carry out his immediate deportation following the ruling.
The accused reportedly confessed during interrogation that he was aware the money was counterfeit. He disclosed receiving the forged notes from a man known as Alhaji Saibu in Nigeria, allegedly under instructions from a suspected mafia leader, Alhaji Dials, believed to be operating from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Adegboyega's arrest occurred at an illegal crossing point along the Ghana-Togo border, known as “Beat Zero.” His case has brought renewed attention to porous border routes and the increasing use of Ghana as a transit route for illegal financial operations.
This incident adds to a growing list of Nigerian nationals involved in financial crimes within Ghana. Notably, another Nigerian, Abu Arome, is currently on trial with three Ghanaians for alleged fraud involving forged documents and fake identities.
The Ghanaian police and judiciary have reiterated their commitment to clamping down on transnational crimes, particularly financial fraud, currency forgery, and border-related smuggling.
Adegboyega now faces deportation back to Nigeria, where additional investigations may be carried out, especially concerning his ties to regional criminal syndicates.
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