At least six of the 11 West African nationals deported to Ghana as part of the United States’ ongoing immigration crackdown have been transferred to Togo, according to their lawyers.
The group, which includes citizens of Nigeria, Togo, Liberia, and The Gambia, had been pursuing legal action against the Ghanaian government to prevent further deportation, citing concerns for their safety.
Lead counsel Oliver Barker-Vormawor told the BBC that three of the six sent to Togo are Togolese, but the nationalities of the others have not been disclosed. “The others have been sent to countries which I can’t disclose at this point,” he said. Neither Ghana nor Togo has publicly commented on the transfers.
The deportees’ lawyers have since withdrawn their case against the Ghana government, saying the deportations had “overtaken events”. However, they continue to pursue a separate suit, arguing that the rights of their clients have been violated.
Barker-Vormawor expressed disappointment in Ghana’s justice system, stressing that the courts could have acted to prevent the deportations. “They had not violated any Ghanaian law, and their detention in a military camp was therefore illegal,” he said.
The deportees were previously held in a U.S. detention facility before being flown in shackles on a U.S. military plane to Ghana, under an agreement between Washington and Accra.
President John Mahama announced two weeks ago that the U.S. had asked Ghana to receive deportees from across West Africa, citing the ECOWAS free movement protocol. He insisted the move was in line with regional commitments.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa later confirmed that Ghana was not receiving financial compensation for accepting the deportees. He also disclosed that another 40 deportees are expected in the coming days.
The arrangement has sparked backlash from opposition Members of Parliament, who are calling for an immediate suspension of the agreement until it is ratified by law. They are also demanding full transparency on the deal.
Source: BBC
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