A Nigerian man deported from the United States has accused Ghanaian authorities of abandoning him and five other West African nationals in Togo under questionable circumstances, sparking outrage among human rights advocates and legal experts across the region.
According to reports from the BBC and multiple news outlets, the deportee—who requested anonymity—was among a group of individuals expelled from the U.S. and transferred to Ghana in early September. He claims that after enduring harsh conditions in a Ghanaian military detention facility, he and others were misled into believing they were being relocated to better accommodations. Instead, they were allegedly escorted across the border into Togo through unofficial routes, without the knowledge or consent of Togolese authorities.
“They told us we were going to a hotel,” the man said. “But they took us through the back door, bribed the local police, and left us in Togo. We didn’t sign anything. We were just dumped.”
The group reportedly includes four Nigerians and one Liberian, now residing in a hotel in Lomé. The deportee expressed concern for his family in the U.S., citing financial hardship and emotional distress caused by the sudden deportation. He also revealed his affiliation with the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement and fears persecution if forced to return to Nigeria.
Legal representatives in Ghana have filed lawsuits challenging the detention and transfer of the deportees, arguing that their rights were violated and that the deportation agreements lacked parliamentary oversight.