US Deportation Controversy: Six West Africans Sent to Togo Amid Legal Battle

Mon Oct 20 2025 23:09:42 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A group of six West Africans deported from the US has been sent to Togo despite ongoing legal struggles to prevent their deportation.

In a controversial move, six West Africans deported from the US have been transferred to Togo. The group was involved in a legal battle against the Ghanaian government to prevent further deportation, raising concerns about their safety. Their lawyers have expressed disappointment with the lack of intervention from Ghana's justice system.

At least six of the 11 West Africans deported to Ghana as part of the US crackdown on immigration have been transferred to Togo, as confirmed by their lawyers. The group was in the process of suing Ghana's government to prevent further deportation, amidst concerns over their safety.

Lead lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor stated, We can confirm that six were sent to Togo, the others have been sent to countries which I can't disclose at this point. Notably, only three of those sent to Togo are Togolese, with the nationalities of the others remaining undisclosed.

Neither Togo nor Ghana has offered comments regarding the situation. After the transfers, the deportees' lawyers withdrew their case against the Ghanaian government due to the changes, but they remain committed to pursuing a separate case alleging violations of rights.

Last week, Barker-Vormawor called for the government to justify the detention of the deportees, claiming they had not breached any Ghanaian laws, and asserted that their detention within a military camp was illegal.

Disappointment regarding Ghana's legal system was expressed, especially regarding the lack of court intervention to hinder the deportation process.

The deportees consisted of nationals from Nigeria, Togo, Liberia, and The Gambia. They were previously in a US detention facility and were deported under an agreement with the Ghanaian government.

President John Mahama recently announced Ghana's acceptance of the US request to take in deportees, citing free movement regulations in West Africa. Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister clarified that the country would not receive any financial compensation for this arrangement. Additionally, 40 more deportees are anticipated to arrive in Ghana soon.

Opposition MPs have called for an immediate halt to the US-Ghana agreement until it is lawfully ratified, demanding complete transparency and accountability regarding the arrangement.

The deportations are part of the US government's stringent immigration policies, particularly since the administration of former President Donald Trump, who aimed for high levels of migrant deportations from the country.