The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has rejected an account by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding an intelligence operation in Ghana, insisting that Operation Cyber Hunt was led and coordinated by Ghanaian authorities with support from local and international security agencies.
The Authority’s response follows a post on X by FBI Director Kashyap Pramod Patel concerning “Operation Blackout” in Ghana, which the CSA says should not be portrayed as an operation independently conceived or executed by the FBI.
In a statement issued on Thursday October 8, the CSA said the operation was planned and executed within Ghana’s legal and institutional frameworks, with support from the National Security Council, the Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigations Department, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Office of the Attorney-General.
Other partners included the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, the FBI, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime.
The Authority acknowledged the intelligence contributions of the FBI and the National Crime Agency but stressed that the roles of all participating agencies must be accurately represented.
It also maintained that foreign law enforcement agencies cannot independently exercise police powers or conduct arrests in Ghana, insisting that their involvement must be authorised and supported by the relevant Ghanaian authorities.
According to the CSA, intelligence received on August 26, 2026, pointed to the use of apartments at Ubuntu Haven Estate in Kpone Katamanso, Franko Estate in Ga North and other locations in Ga West for organised cybercrime, including romance scams.
Items seized included 136 mobile phones, 130 laptops, internet connection devices and four vehicles, one of which was reportedly stolen from Canada. Investigators also recovered jewellery, 10 Nigerian passports and other digital equipment.
The Authority said arrangements were underway to repatriate the rescued victims, most of whom were identified as Nigerians, while investigations into the suspects and seized devices continued.
The CSA has called on the FBI to clarify its public account of the operation and acknowledge the contributions of the Ghanaian institutions and other international partners involved in its execution.
