THE GHANA Police Service’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has disclosed the arrest of four individuals linked to the kidnapping of three Chinese crew members from a Ghanaian vessel at Tema Port.
The suspects allegedly abducted the crew members and transported them to a remote location in Nigeria, where they were later abandoned.
In a press briefing, CID Director-General, DCOP Lydia Yaako Donkor, stated that investigations are ongoing, with security agencies in Ghana and Nigeria working together to apprehend additional suspects and uncover the broader network behind the kidnapping.
On March 27, 2025, a Ghanaian fishing vessel, MENGXIN 1, was attacked by five pirates armed with AK-47 rifles off the coast of Tema. The pirates abducted three Chinese crew members and destroyed the vessel’s communication system.
The Marine Police Command in Tema received the complaint on March 27, 2025, at 19:30 hours. A joint investigation was launched involving the Ghana Police Service, National Investigation Bureau, Ghana Navy, and other stakeholders.
After thorough investigation and collaboration with Nigerian authorities, the three kidnapped victims were found in the Delta state of Nigeria and rescued by the Chinese Embassy in Lagos on April 26, 2025. They were received by the Ghana Police Service at Kotoka International Airport on April 27, 2025.
The victims reported being held captive for about 24 hours at sea, then transported to a makeshift camp in Nigeria, where they were guarded at gunpoint until their eventual abandonment. They were rescued after roaming the area and seeking help from a nearby village.
DCOP Donkor noted that the police are continuing their investigation to apprehend the perpetrators and prevent future incidents.
In another related development, DCOP Donkor said five suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of five people at Asiyaw, near Akwane-Dobro. The suspects include Samuel Atsu Forson, alias Alanyo; Freeheart Kweku Sedonu; Kwesi Prince; and Benjamin Adzalekor and a gentleman known as 1 Million.
Four of the suspects were arraigned before the Osino District Court on May 2, 2025, and remanded into prison custody.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke