Nigerian woman jailed over fake Ghanaian passport documents

A Nigerian woman who tried to obtain a Ghanaian passport with forged nationality documents has been jailed by the Adabraka District Court in Accra.

Franca Wilson, 41, pleaded guilty when she appeared before the court on May 12, 2026.

She was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour on three counts.

The sentences will run concurrently.

The Ghana Immigration Service said Wilson, a welder, was arrested on April 24, 2026, at the Accra Passport Application Centre.

Immigration officers became suspicious during the vetting process after detecting inconsistencies in her claim to Ghanaian nationality.

She was then referred to the National Enforcement Department at the GIS Headquarters for further investigations.

According to the Service, investigations showed that Wilson is a Nigerian citizen born in Rivers State to Nigerian parents.

However, she allegedly presented a false birth certificate claiming she was born at Somanya in the Eastern Region to a Ghanaian mother.

She was unable to provide reliable details about the alleged Ghanaian parent.

Further checks revealed that she had allegedly obtained a fraudulent birth certificate and a Ghana Card through an agent.

The Ghana Card bore the number GHA-731395447-1.

GIS said the same agent allegedly completed Wilson’s online passport application and booked the appointment that led to her arrest.

In her caution statement, Wilson admitted the offences.

The Ghana Immigration Service warned the public, especially foreign nationals, against dealing with self-styled agents who claim they can secure Ghanaian identity or travel documents illegally.

It said any attempt to fraudulently obtain Ghanaian identity or travel documents is a serious offence and will be met with firm sanctions.