Nigerian Deportee Stranded in Togo After Secret Transfer from Ghana
A Nigerian man, deported from the United States to Ghana, has found himself stranded in Togo after Ghanaian officials allegedly transferred him and five others across the border without notifying Togolese authorities, according to a BBC report on Wednesday.
Speaking anonymously to the BBC, the man revealed that the group was misled into believing they were being moved from a military camp in Ghana to better accommodations. Instead, they were covertly transported into Togo via a back route, with local police allegedly bribed to facilitate the transfer. “They did not take us through the main border; they took us through the back door,” he said. “They paid the police there and dropped us in Togo.”
Four of the deportees—three Nigerians and one Liberian—are now staying in a hotel in Lomé, Togo’s capital, relying on hotel staff to receive financial aid from relatives abroad due to their lack of documentation. “We’re struggling to survive in Togo without any documentation,” the man said. “None of us has family in Togo. We’re just stuck in a hotel, trying to survive until our lawyers can help.”
The deportee described harsh conditions at the Ghanaian military camp, calling them “deplorable” and citing inadequate healthcare, water, and living conditions. He said the group had requested better accommodations, but instead of being relocated to a hotel as promised, they were abandoned in Togo without signing any paperwork.
The man, a member of the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement advocating for a breakaway state in south-west Nigeria, expressed fears of arrest or torture if forced to return to Nigeria. He also highlighted personal hardships, stating, “I have a house in the US where my kids live. How am I supposed to pay the mortgage? My kids can’t see me, and it’s just so stressful.” He claimed to have had US court-ordered protection that should have prevented his deportation, though US authorities have not commented on the decision.
The group was part of a larger cohort of West Africans, including nationals from Togo, Liberia, and The Gambia, deported from US detention facilities to Ghana last month. Lawyers representing the deportees have filed legal action against both the US and Ghanaian governments, alleging violations of their rights.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, defended the country’s decision to accept the deportees, citing “pan-African empathy” and denying any financial incentives. However, the deportation deal, announced by President John Mahama, has faced criticism from opposition MPs, who are calling for its suspension until parliamentary approval is secured. The Ghanaian government reportedly plans to accept an additional 40 deportees in the coming weeks.
The stranded deportees in Togo await legal resolution while struggling to navigate their uncertain circumstances.
Comments
Post a Comment