Ghana has become the focus of a heated immigration debate after it received a group of deportees from the United States earlier this month. On September 5, 2025, a U.S. military aircraft landed in Accra carrying fourteen West African nationals who had been deported from the United States. Among them were thirteen Nigerians and one Gambian, all placed in Ghana’s custody under a new cooperation arrangement between the two countries.
Soon after their arrival, the Ghanaian government announced that the deportees had not come to stay. By September 11, officials confirmed that all fourteen had been sent back to their countries of origin. The Nigerians, the government explained, were transported by bus across the border, while the Gambian was flown home. According to Ghana, none of the deportees remain in its territory. Officials emphasized that the agreement with the United States was not about money, but rather about humanitarian duty and Ghana’s membership in ECOWAS, the regional bloc that guarantees free movement of West Africans across member states.
Lawyers representing some of the deportees, however, dispute this version of events. They insist that at least four of the Nigerians are still being held in Ghana under poor conditions. Their concern goes beyond detention: some of the individuals had received protection orders from U.S. courts, shielding them from deportation to their home countries because of the risk of persecution or torture. By sending them to Ghana first, the lawyers argue, the United States may have sidestepped those protections. Families of the deportees remain in the dark, unsure whether their loved ones truly made it back home or are still in limbo.
The entire arrangement between Ghana and the United States is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding, not a full treaty. Approved by Ghana’s Cabinet, the deal allows Ghana to receive deportees who are nationals of other West African countries. Under the terms, Ghana is supposed to vet each case to ensure the individuals do not pose security risks before facilitating their return to their home countries. Ghanaian officials insist that the agreement is rooted in solidarity and regional cooperation, and that no financial compensation is involved.
Yet the deal is stirring controversy. Human rights advocates question whether deportees are being sent back to face harm, in violation of international law. Nigeria and Gambia, for their part, have complained that they were not officially notified about their citizens being flown to Ghana first before being repatriated. Critics warn that the arrangement risks creating unnecessary diplomatic tensions within West Africa, while also raising questions about how far the United States can go in outsourcing its deportation policies.
For now, the Ghanaian government maintains that it has already fulfilled its duty by returning the deportees to their countries of origin. Lawyers continue to insist otherwise, and U.S. courts are paying close attention to whether protections against torture and persecution are being undermined. What is clear is that this story is far from over, and the truth about where all the deportees are may not be as straightforward as Ghana’s official statements suggest.
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