Controversial Deportations: West Africans Sent to Togo Amid Legal Struggles

Wed Oct 22 2025 17:08:53 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Six West Africans have been deported from the US to Togo amid ongoing legal disputes concerning their safety and rights, as public outcry grows over these actions.

Following a US immigration crackdown, six West African deportees, who were previously detained in Ghana, have been sent to Togo. Their lawyers were in the process of fighting against further deportations when the transfer occurred. Many fear for the safety of the individuals, prompting concerns over human rights violations and the legality of their detentions without due judicial process. Ghana’s government, while theoretically accepting these deportees as part of a US agreement, faces opposition demanding transparency and legal review of the situation.

At least six of the 11 West Africans deported to Ghana as part of the US crackdown on immigration have been transferred to Togo, their lawyers have said.

The group was in the process of suing Ghana's government to prevent their further deportation, amid concerns over their safety.

We can confirm that six were sent to Togo, the others have been sent to countries which I can't disclose at this point, lead lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor told the BBC.

Only three of those sent to Togo are Togolese. The nationalities of the others has not been disclosed.

Neither Togo nor Ghana has commented.

The deportees' lawyers have subsequently withdrawn their case against the Ghana government, as it has been overtaken by events. However, they are still pursuing a separate case arguing that their rights have been violated.

The lawyers said the deportations had made it impossible for the authorities to bring them before the court or justify their detention.

Last week, Mr. Barker-Vormawor expressed disappointment with Ghana's justice system, noting that the court could have intervened to prevent their deportation.

The deportees, who include nationals of Nigeria, Togo, Liberia, and The Gambia, were previously held in a US detention facility before being deported on a US military plane in shackles to Ghana under an agreement with the Ghanaian government.

The deal for Ghana to take in nationals from various West African countries was announced by President John Mahama two weeks ago, affirming that he had been approached by the US because of the region's provision for free movement of people.

However, Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa clarified that the country was not receiving any financial compensation for this arrangement.

He further remarked that an additional 40 deportees are expected to arrive in Ghana in the coming days.

Opposition MPs have called for the immediate suspension of the US-Ghana agreement until it is legally ratified. They demand full transparency and accountability regarding the arrangements.

The deportations are part of the US government's stringent immigration policies that have intensified since the Trump administration, promoting record-level deportations, often to countries where deportees have limited ties.