By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Betty Wata and Abraham Jobua the ring leaders on the fraud network in Badagry |
A sophisticated Ghanaian fraud ring, operating from a swampy hideout in Badagry, Lagos, has been exposed after its cruel deception of a Ghanaian family seeking a better life in Poland. The syndicate, linked to the controversial multi-level marketing company QNET, allegedly lured victims with promises of lucrative jobs and travel to Europe, only to imprison them in Nigeria and force them into the scheme.
The breakthrough came on Sunday, December 14, 2025, following a high-stakes investigation by renowned journalist Manoah Kikekon, who rescued victim Sandra Ofori before the Badagry Roundabout as she was being taken to the Seme Border.
The ordeal began when a family friend, Betty Wata, who had relocated from Ghana two years prior, claimed to be living in Poland. She convinced Sandra Ofori’s mother to allow her daughter to travel, promising work and high earnings. The fraudsters initially demanded 6,000 Ghana Cedis for registration, eventually receiving 2,000 Cedis. They then escalated the demand to a staggering 30,000 Cedis (approximately ₦3.8 million). With no cash, the Duffie family used their house and land as collateral to secure a loan, wiring the total sum to Wata.
Sandra was instructed to fly to Lagos, Nigeria, on December 6, 2025, under the pretense of connecting to Poland. Picked up at night, she was taken to a location in Badagry. The next day, the grim reality unfolded: she was told she was never going to Poland. Instead, she was forced to join QNET and instructed to recruit more people from Ghana. “I told them I can’t do it, I can’t tell lies to my friends,” Sandra recounted. After her refusal led to a hunger strike, her captors arranged for an agent to dump her at the Seme Border.
Journalist Manoah Kikekon, acting on intel about a lady bound for Poland being held against her will in Badagry, tracked her movements. “Before getting to Badagry Roundabout I tracked them down and I got Sandra Ofori,” Kikekon told News Peddlers. He immediately reported the case to the police. The trail led investigators to a secluded apartment in the swamps of Atinporome, Badagry, where six Ghanaian nationals were arrested.
Investigations revealed Sandra was not the first in her family targeted. Prosper Ofori Her brother was an earlier victim, having paid 20,000 Ghana Cedis. He was coerced into maintaining the lie that he was in Poland, a strategy used to build credibility and lure his sister. The police identified the ringleaders as Abraham Jobua and the elusive Betty Wata, who masterminded the scheme from Ghana.
This exposé highlights the perils of complex migration fraud schemes preying on the aspirations of West African youth. The Badagry bust underscores the trans-national nature of such crimes. The suspects are now in police custody, authorities are warning the public to be vigilant against offers that seem too good to be true, especially those involving large upfront payments and convoluted travel routes to Europe.