The Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador Michael Abikoye, has protested the inhuman treatment of Nigerians by the Ghana Immigration Service with the deportation of 723 Nigerians between 2018 and 2019.
Abikoye said this at a meeting between him and the Comptroller-General of the GIS, Kwame Takyi, in Ghana.
The high commissioner said 723 Nigerians were deported on alleged illegal stay, cybercrime and prostitution between January 2018 and January 2019.
According to him, 81 Nigerians were deported on alleged cybercrime and illegal stay in January, while 115 have so far been deported on the allegation of overstay and prostitution.
The High Commissioner cautioned Ghana against inhuman treatment of Nigerians, warning that any ill treatment of Nigerians would not be acceptable to the Nigerian government.
“Although, the GIS had linked prostitution and cybercrimes as some of the reasons for the deportation, it is improper to deport Nigerians for alleged illegal stay in Ghana.
“There are several Ghanaians living in Nigeria and the Nigeria Immigration Service has never deported any of them on the grounds of illegal stay because of the brotherliness between our countries,” he said.
The ambassador presented to the CG a copy of the mission’s records on deportations of Nigerians from January 2018 till date.
The ambassador also showed photos of some of them who sustained injuries on their legs, arms and eyes during torture.
In his response, the CG, Takyi, said the GIS was compelled to act because of the conduct of some Nigerians in Ghana.
He alleged that “some Nigerians had become laws in themselves; they block major Ghanaian streets where they drink, fight and stab one another.”
He said, “This unruly behaviour which contravenes the local laws in Ghana has led to directives from higher authorities for the arrests and eventual deportation of those who do not have the requisite immigration papers.”
