Deported to Togo: Nigerian Man alleges Secret Transfer After US Deportation via Ghana
A Nigerian man deported from the United States to ghana claims he and five others were secretly transported to Togo by Ghanaian officials, highlighting a growing controversy surrounding the US’s “third-country deportation” policy. The man, speaking anonymously to the BBC, alleges they were “dumped” in Togo after being told they were being moved to better accommodations.
The US government has been deporting West African nationals as part of a broader crackdown on immigration, a practice that has sparked international debate and legal challenges. Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel okudzeto Ablakwa previously stated. The Togolese authorities have yet to comment on the alleged presence of the deportees within thier borders.
Currently, four of the group – three Nigerians and one Liberian – are staying in a hotel in Lomé, the Togolese capital. Without any official documentation, they are reliant on hotel staff to facilitate money transfers from family members abroad to cover their expenses. “We’re struggling to survive in Togo without any documentation,” the man explained. “None of us has family in Togo. We’re just stuck in a hotel,” adding, “right now, we’re just trying to survive until our lawyers can definitely help us with this situation.”
The situation in Togo follows what the deportees described as “deplorable” conditions at a military camp in Ghana. They had requested improved living conditions, including better access to medication, healthcare, and clean water. Days after voicing their concerns, immigration officials reportedly arrived at the camp, informing them they would be moved to a hotel for increased comfort. Instead, they found themselves across the border in Togo.
The language barrier in Togo presents an additional challenge, as the official language is French, while the deportee speaks English. The deportation has also created significant hardship for his family in the United States. “I have a house in the US where my kids live. How am I supposed to pay the mortgage? I don’t know how they’ll manage while I’m gone. My kids can’t see me, and it’s just so stressful,” he lamented.
The man revealed he is affiliated with the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, an activist organization advocating for a breakaway state in south-west Nigeria. He expressed fears of arrest and torture shoudl he return to Nigeria, given the Nigerian government’s scrutiny of the movement, which has seen 27 individuals arrested last year for their involvement.
He was among a group of West Africans deported to Ghana last month, including nationals from Togo, Liberia, and The Gambia. Lawyers representing the deportees have stated that the individuals were transported on a US military plane while shackled, having previously been held in a US detention facility.
US Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the deportations, stating that all individuals sent to Ghana were “illegal aliens” who had “received due process and had a final order of removal from an immigration judge.” She further added that many had “rap sheets that included injury to a child, robbery, aggravated assault, and fraud.”
The Nigerian deportee admitted to a 2020 conviction for conspiracy to commit bank fraud in the US, for which he served a two-year sentance. However, he claims he was under a US court-ordered protection that should have prevented his deportation.
Ghana’s President John Mahama has publicly stated that ghana “will not, and I repeat, will not become a dumping ground for deportees, nor will we accept individuals with criminal backgrounds.” The US government’s deportation strategy has faced criticism from several countries, including Nigeria.
The agreement for Ghana to accept nationals from various West African countries was announced by President Mahama three weeks ago,citing free movement within West africa as justification. Foreign Minister Ablakwa has since confirmed that Ghana received no financial compensation for accepting the deportees. Opposition MPs have called for a suspension of the agreement pending parliamentary ratification, but the government intends to accept another 40 deportees.
Lawyers representing the deportees have initiated legal action against both the US and Ghanaian governments, alleging violations of their clients’ rights. .
