Ghana has facilitated the return of 11 West African nationals to their countries after their deportation from the United States, a development that has raised significant alarm over the potential for torture, persecution, and cruel treatment upon their arrival.
These individuals were among a group of 14 deportees who landed in Ghana from the U.S. They had sought legal protection to prevent their forced return to their homelands. However, their lawyer disclosed during a court session on Tuesday that the deportations had already taken place before the case could be heard.
“We must inform the court that the individuals whose human rights we are advocating for were deported over the weekend,” stated Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the legal counsel representing the group, during a virtual proceeding.
“This outcome is exactly what we aimed to avoid,” he added, highlighting the serious risks the deportees might encounter upon repatriation.
The lawsuit revealed that at least eight of those deported had previously been granted protection by U.S. immigration authorities due to threats in their countries of origin. The group included four Nigerians, three Togolese, two Malians, one Liberian, and one Gambian. While six have been confirmed to be in Togo, the current locations of the other five remain uncertain.
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Earlier this month, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama confirmed that the country had agreed to temporarily host West African nationals deported from the U.S. under the stringent immigration policies implemented during President Donald Trump’s administration.
The Ghanaian authorities have maintained that their decision was driven by humanitarian reasons rather than political alignment with the former U.S. administration.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, dismissed suggestions that the move indicated support for Trump-era immigration enforcement measures.
During a press briefing in Accra on Monday, Ablakwa stressed that Ghana did not receive any monetary compensation for its cooperation.
“We want to be recognized as a nation that cares for its African brothers and sisters, which is why we made it clear to the Americans that we would not accept a single dollar,” he affirmed.
Nigeria, one of the countries whose nationals were repatriated through Ghana, stated it was not informed about this arrangement. The Nigerian government noted that, under normal circumstances, deportees from the U.S. are returned directly to Nigeria.
