The Circuit Court at Dansoman, a suburb of Accra presided over by Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of seven Nigerian nationals who are facing criminal charges for allegedly providing false information to acquire Ghana National Identification Cards.
The accused persons – Ibrahim Mohammed, Danjuma Yakubu, Abubakar Saidu, Abubakar Muktar, Abubakar Nuru, Abubakar Rabiu Muhammed and Abubakar Lawal – failed to appear before the court on July 30, 2025 prompting the court to grant the prosecution’s request for their arrest.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Portia Nuarko, argued that the accused had deliberately absented themselves despite being aware of the scheduled court date.
Her Honour, upon considering the prosecution’s submission and the seriousness of the offences, granted the request, stating “upon consideration of the submission of the prosecution and the nature of the alleged facts surrounding the offences, the prayer of the prosecution is accordingly granted. Let a bench warrant be issued for the arrest of all accused persons.”
Charges against the Accused
The seven individuals are facing two counts: Count One: Providing False Information to National Identification Officials – contrary to Section 40(1)(a) of the National Register Act, 2008 (Act 750). Count Two: Defrauding by False Pretences – contrary to Section 131 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
According to the facts before the court, on July 14, 2025, the accused visited the National Identification Authority (NIA) Office at Ayawaso East, where they allegedly submitted falsified documents and information in a bid to obtain Ghana Cards under false pretences.
Eric Ewudzie Arthur, an Assistant Administrative Officer at the NIA Ayawaso East Center, is the Complainant in the matter. He alerted the police after detecting inconsistencies in the documentation provided by the accused.
The police responded swiftly and arrested all seven accused persons at the NIA office. Their application forms, supporting documents, and Oath of Identity forms were seized. Investigations revealed that the accused arrived in Ghana just a day earlier, on July 13, 2025 and were lodging in a hotel with no known relatives in the country.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted to providing false information in their statements to the police. They were subsequently charged and brought before the Circuit Court, where they now face prosecution.
With the issuance of the bench warrant, the accused are now considered fugitives. Security agencies are expected to launch a manhunt for their immediate arrest and presentation before the court.
