Three Nigerians bailed GH¢400,000.over alleged Ghana Card fraud

The Circuit Court in Dansoman has granted three Nigerian nationals accused of using false information to secure Ghana Cards bail.

Saifullahi Mukhtah, 26, Abdullahi Ismail, 25, and 31-year-old Zakari Isman were each admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢400,000.

Under the terms set by Her Ladyship Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Bassit, a High Court judge sitting as an additional Circuit Court judge, each accused must produce three sureties. Two of the sureties must be public servants earning at least GH¢5,000 a month, while the third is to be justified.

The court further directed the three men to report to the police once a week until the court varies the order. They all pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors have levelled six counts against the accused:

three counts of giving false information to officials of the National Identification Authority, contrary to Section 40(1)(a) of the National Identity Register Act, 2008 (Act 750); and

three counts of defrauding by false pretence, under Section 131(1) read with Section 134 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

Chief Inspector Portia Nuarko, leading the prosecution, was ordered to file all disclosures and witness statements by 19 January 2026.

Police say the three are Nigerian traders from Kano State, living at Aboabo in Kumasi and in Nima, Accra.

Mukhtah is alleged to have presented himself at Ada on 14 November 2025, claiming he was born in Bawku to a Ghanaian parent in order to obtain an ECOWAS Identity Card. On the same date, Ismail is said to have told officials he was a Ghanaian born in Bawku to a parent from Salaga.

Isman is alleged to have appeared before registration officials at Adenta on 10 November 2025, stating that he was a Ghanaian born in Salaga to a parent from Bawku.

In each instance, prosecutors say the men falsely held themselves out as Ghanaian citizens so they could acquire Ghana Cards.

The three were arrested on 21 November 2025 at the Tesano branch of Ecobank, where they were allegedly attempting to open bank accounts using the Ghana Cards in question.

According to the prosecution, investigations suggest they paid various sums of money to Ghanaian contacts who posed as relatives and vouched for them during the registration process, despite the accused having no Ghanaian ancestry.

In their caution statements, all three reportedly confirmed they are Nigerians. Police say efforts are under way to trace and arrest their alleged Ghanaian accomplices.

The case has been adjourned to a later date for further hearing.