Several families in Senegal say that a number of young people from the north of the country have been held captive in Ghana for several weeks. Lured by the prospect of work visas for Canada, they allegedly fell into the hands of a criminal network. RFI spoke to one of them.
26/12/2025 - RFI
Media appeals
Fall describes a highly structured fraud system that exploits young people’s dreams of emigration as a way of extorting money from them.
He told RFI he eventually managed to escape by convincing his captors that he would take part in the scam. His family in Senegal sent him money so he could return home.
At least five young men, all from Kébémer in northern Senegal, are believed to have fallen into the hands of this network.
In recent days, the father of one of them has made repeated appeals to the Senegalese authorities in local media.
He has had no news of his son, Mamadou Seck, since 23 November, despite sending him 2.5 million CFA francs for the same administrative procedure to secure a visa from the Canadian authorities.
Cheikh Touré case
Ghana has been identified as one of the central hubs for such emigration scams in West Africa.
Last October, Senegal was shaken when 20-year-old Senegalese footballer Cheikh Touré died in Ghana after being lured by the promise of a professional career by someone close to him.
He believed he was joining a football club, but is said to have fallen into the hands of a network of fake recruiters, who allegedly kidnapped and extorted him before killing him.
In response, Ghanaian authorities have stepped up operations in recent months to dismantle such networks.
This article was adapted from the original version in French by Juliette Dubois.
A number of young people from Senegal and other West African countries have been lured by claims they could obtain visas for Canada. © Getty Images/iStockphoto/Manjurul
Canada's decision in 2023 to open its borders to citizens from French-speaking Africa has led to a surge in well-organised scams targeting immigrant hopefuls.
Amadou Fall fell prey to one such scheme. He says he travelled to Ghana after being contacted by a childhood friend, who is also Senegalese.
The friend promised to help him obtain a visa to travel to Canada, which involved him paying 2.5 million CFA francs (€3,811) to cover administrative costs. He managed to raise part of that sum – 1.6 million CFA francs (€2,439) – by selling his belongings.
On arriving in Ghana, he claims he was taken to a house where he met other young men from various African countries. His phone and identity papers were taken from him.
He was told to recruit candidates for Canadian visas and to make them believe he was already there.
Canada's decision in 2023 to open its borders to citizens from French-speaking Africa has led to a surge in well-organised scams targeting immigrant hopefuls.
Amadou Fall fell prey to one such scheme. He says he travelled to Ghana after being contacted by a childhood friend, who is also Senegalese.
The friend promised to help him obtain a visa to travel to Canada, which involved him paying 2.5 million CFA francs (€3,811) to cover administrative costs. He managed to raise part of that sum – 1.6 million CFA francs (€2,439) – by selling his belongings.
On arriving in Ghana, he claims he was taken to a house where he met other young men from various African countries. His phone and identity papers were taken from him.
He was told to recruit candidates for Canadian visas and to make them believe he was already there.
Media appeals
Fall describes a highly structured fraud system that exploits young people’s dreams of emigration as a way of extorting money from them.
He told RFI he eventually managed to escape by convincing his captors that he would take part in the scam. His family in Senegal sent him money so he could return home.
At least five young men, all from Kébémer in northern Senegal, are believed to have fallen into the hands of this network.
In recent days, the father of one of them has made repeated appeals to the Senegalese authorities in local media.
He has had no news of his son, Mamadou Seck, since 23 November, despite sending him 2.5 million CFA francs for the same administrative procedure to secure a visa from the Canadian authorities.
Cheikh Touré case
Ghana has been identified as one of the central hubs for such emigration scams in West Africa.
Last October, Senegal was shaken when 20-year-old Senegalese footballer Cheikh Touré died in Ghana after being lured by the promise of a professional career by someone close to him.
He believed he was joining a football club, but is said to have fallen into the hands of a network of fake recruiters, who allegedly kidnapped and extorted him before killing him.
In response, Ghanaian authorities have stepped up operations in recent months to dismantle such networks.
This article was adapted from the original version in French by Juliette Dubois.
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