The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has rejected suggestions that the “Operation Blackout”, a major crackdown on transnational cybercrime networks conducted this month, was independently conceived, commanded or executed by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
It clarified that the operation, also known as “Operation Cyber Hunt”, was planned, coordinated and executed by Ghanaian authorities within the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
In a statement released last Thursday, the CSA, reacting to a post on X by the Director of the FBI, Kashyap Pramod Patel, concerning the operation in the country, said the operation was not conceived as part of an FBI-led global programme and was not conducted under foreign operational command.
Ghana-led effort
The CSA explained that the operation involved several Ghanaian and international institutions working together to combat transnational cybercrime.
“The operation was led and coordinated by the CSA with support from Ghana’s National Security Council, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria (EFCC), the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime (JCT), the Ghana Immigration Service, and the Office of the Attorney-General,” the statement explained.
Operation Blackout
Operation Blackout, a cybercrime crackdown launched in October 2026, involved raids on suspected cybercrime bases in the Greater Accra Region, resulting in the arrest of eight suspects and the rescue of 120 potential trafficking victims, most of them Nigerians, who were allegedly forced to engage in online fraud, including romance scams.
Authorities seized 136 mobile phones, 130 laptops, four vehicles, jewellery and 10 Nigerian passports. Repatriation efforts and investigations into the operation are ongoing.
Sovereignty
The CSA emphasised that Ghana is a sovereign republic governed by its Constitution and laws, adding that foreign law enforcement agencies had no independent authority to exercise police powers or conduct arrests within the country.
It said the participation of foreign agencies in law enforcement operations in the country must be undertaken through lawful cooperation, with the authorisation and involvement of the relevant Ghanaian authorities.
International cooperation
While challenging the portrayal of the operation, the CSA acknowledged the valuable intelligence contributions of the FBI and the NCA.
It said partnerships with international law enforcement agencies remained important to the country’s efforts to combat transnational cybercrime and supported effective investigations and operations.
However, it stressed that the contributions of international partners must be accurately described, particularly where joint operations were conducted within Ghana’s jurisdiction.
The Authority consequently called on the FBI to clarify its public account of the Ghana-led operation and acknowledge the contributions of the Ghanaian institutions and other international partners responsible for its execution.
“The Authority remains available for constructive engagement to ensure that the public record reflects the respective roles of all participating agencies,” it added.
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