US Woman Claiming Attack by Ghana Police Snubs Investigators: "She Has Declined to Respond"
- Arianna Mackey, the US tourist who claimed she was kidnapped by Ghana police, is reportedly not cooperating with investigators
- Mackey's claims went viral in a TikTok video where she said some alleged police officers took about $400 from her
- The Criminal Investigation Department said it has been trying to reach the purported victim via WhatsApp
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The Ghana Police Service has been unable to connect with the US woman behind the kidnapping allegation against some purported police officers.
The woman has been identified as Arianna Naomi Mackey.
Source: Facebook
Mackey recorded a video claiming she had been kidnapped and robbed by supposed police officers, but has since left Ghana.
In a statement, the police noted that she had blocked police from reaching her.
According to the police, Mackey and two companions checked out of their hotel in Accra on December 5, 2025.
Checks at the airport confirmed she departed the country the same day.
When contacted by investigators, she admitted she was no longer in Ghana but said she could not provide the names of the alleged officers or even the number plate of the vehicle involved. According to the Police,
“She indicated to police that she was out of the country and she could not get the names of the alleged officers nor the number plate of the vehicle they were using.”
The CID stated that Mackey deleted the viral video and has since ignored all follow-up efforts.
The Ghana Tourism Authority also expressed concern about the incident and assured that Ghana was open, secure, and welcoming to tourists.
What did Mackey say in her video?
In a post on December 7, Mackey accused officers within the Ghana Police Service of kidnapping and robbing her.
In a video shared to her over 34,000 followers on TikTok on December 7, Mackey claimed that she ran into a Ghana Police checkpoint on the night of December 6 while out with friends.
According to her, they were in an Uber when they were stopped by officers with masks on in a patrol vehicle with its license plates covered and with the officers having no name tags on.
"I was kidnapped and robbed by the police in Ghana. I was kidnapped by three masked police officers. They covered their license plate, they had no name badges, and they completely covered their faces."
Source: TikTok
When she spoke, she said they realised her accent was not Ghanaian, and the alleged police officers decided to extort money from them.
Mackey said the officers took her cash, phones and cameras and also placed them in their vehicle for a ride. She said she was eventually forced to withdraw some more cash from an ATM to give to them.
“They heard my accent, and they decided they were going to take us. They checked our bags and our bodies, and when they looked in my bag and found I had cash, they decided I needed to get in the car. They told me to get in the car. I tried to ask why and if there was anything else we could do to handle this, but they said no. They got mad every time I tried to ask a question.”
Nigerians arrested over kidnapping of US national
YEN.com.gh reported that two Nigerians were arrested over their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of an 80-year-old US national in February 2025.
The suspects were identified as Emmanuel Adedoyin Adebayor, a trader, and Esther Ogbonna, a beautician.
Adebayor was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, kidnapping and stealing before a high court. Ogbonna was charged as an accomplice.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
