Cyber Security Authority: Ghana led Operation Blackout, not FBI

The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has rejected claims by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that the cybercrime operation carried out in Ghana this week was conceived, commanded or executed by the bureau.

In a press release issued on Thursday, October 8, 2026, the authority said the operation, also referred to as Operation Cyber Hunt, was led and coordinated by Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority.

It said the operation was conducted with support from Ghana’s National Security Council, the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service, the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom, the FBI, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria, the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Office of the Attorney-General.

The authority said Ghanaian authorities planned, coordinated and executed the operation within Ghana’s legal and institutional frameworks. It said the operation could not be said to have been conceived as part of an FBI-led global programme, nor was it conducted under a foreign operational command.

It stated that Ghana is a sovereign republic governed by its Constitution and laws, and that foreign law enforcement agencies have no independent authority to exercise police powers or conduct arrests within Ghana. It said their participation must take place through lawful cooperation, with the authorisation and involvement of relevant Ghanaian authorities.

The authority acknowledged the intelligence contributions of the FBI and the National Crime Agency, saying the partnerships remain important to effective investigations and operations. It, however, said the contribution of international partners must be described accurately.

It called on the FBI to clarify its public account of the Ghana-led operation and to acknowledge the contributions of the Ghanaian institutions and other international partners responsible for its execution. The authority said it remained available for constructive engagement to ensure the public record reflects the respective roles of all participating agencies.

The authority said the operation uncovered suspected cybercrime centres in parts of the Greater Accra Region. Eight suspects were arrested, and one hundred and twenty others suspected to have been trafficked and exploited for online fraud activities were rescued.

It said the operation followed intelligence received on August 26, 2026, indicating that several apartments at Ubuntu Haven Estate in Kpone Katamanso, Franko Estate in Ga North and other locations in Ga West were being used as bases for organised cybercrime, including romance scams.

Items seized included 136 mobile phones, 130 laptops, internet connection devices, four motor vehicles, one of which was stolen from Canada, and other digital equipment. The search team also recovered jewellery and ten Nigerian passports.

The authority said it was working to repatriate the rescued victims, identified largely as Nigerians, while investigations into the suspects and the seized devices are ongoing.

It reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to dismantling cybercriminal networks and protecting the public from online fraud. It said it would continue to strengthen intelligence-led investigations, inter-agency coordination, digital forensic capabilities and international cooperation.