ACCRA – Nigerian Government has expressed displeasure over the alarming and incessant arrest and deportation of Nigerians from Ghana in the last one year.
Ambassador Olufemi Abikoye, Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, said during a meeting with the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) Kwame Asuah Takyi, in Accra, that 723 Nigerians have been deported from January 2018 to date.
In a subtle protest, the High Commissioner noted that though the GIS had linked prostitution and cybercrime as some of the reasons for the deportation, he however, posited that it was “improper” to deport Nigerians for alleged illegal stay in Ghana.
Ambassador Abikoye said there were several Ghanaians living in Nigeria but the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has never deported any of them back to Ghana because of brotherliness between the two countries.
There is Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol on free movement of persons to migrate to the respective member nations without necessary valid documents.
The Nigerian Envoy brought to the attention of the CG several cases of molestation, harassment and torture of Nigerians by the GIS officials, especially those awaiting deportation at the GIS detention facility.
The High Commissioner reminded the Ghana Immigration Boss that the ‘inhuman act was against the United Nations Convention against torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Therefore, he enjoined the CG to prevail on his officials to treat Nigerians and other ECOWAS nationals with human face, caution and not as common criminals.
Responding, the Immigration Boss said the Service was being compelled to carry out the deportation because of the conduct of some Nigerian nationals in Ghana.
According to him, besides engaging in cybercrime and prostitution, some Nigerians have become ‘law’ in themselves.
He said they do road blockages in major Ghanian streets where they drink, fight and stab each other, stressing that the ‘unruly’ behaviour contravenes the local laws in Ghana.
The CG therefore, appealed to the High Commissioner to continue to admonish Nigerians living in Ghana to abide by rules and regulations of the host country.
