A Nigerian man deported from the United States has spoken out about his ordeal after allegedly being secretly transferred from Ghana to Togo by Ghanaian authorities, leaving him stranded in a hotel in Lomé with no documentation or support.
Speaking to the BBC under the condition of anonymity for safety reasons, the man said he was among a group of six West African nationals—three Nigerians, a Liberian, and others—who were deported by the US government as part of its ongoing crackdown on immigration.
Initially flown to Ghana, the group was housed in what the man described as “deplorable” conditions at a military camp. He said they pleaded for better accommodation, only to later be misled and covertly taken across the border into Togo.
“They told us we were being moved to a hotel, but instead they took us through the back door into Togo,” he said. “They paid the police at the border and left us there without informing the Togolese authorities.”
According to the deportee, the lack of official paperwork and the language barrier—French being the official language in Togo—have made life extremely difficult. The group now relies on hotel staff to receive money transfers from family abroad to cover basic needs.
“None of us has family in Togo. We’re just stuck in a hotel trying to survive,” he said. “We’re undocumented, we don’t speak the language, and we’re completely isolated.”
Alleged Backdoor Deportation Raises Legal and Diplomatic Concerns
The man claims Ghanaian officials bribed local law enforcement to avoid using official border checkpoints. The Togolese government has not commented on the deportees’ alleged illegal entry, and attempts by the BBC to obtain a statement from Ghanaian authorities are still pending.
The deportee also revealed that he was under a court-ordered protection status in the US—designed to shield him from deportation—before being forcibly removed. He says he was shackled aboard a US military aircraft along with other West Africans.
He is a member of the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, a group advocating for the peaceful creation of an independent Yoruba state in southwestern Nigeria. While the group is not banned, it has come under increasing scrutiny by Nigerian authorities, with dozens of arrests reported last year.
“I fear that if I return to Nigeria, I could be arrested or tortured,” he told the BBC. “I don’t feel safe going back.”
Impact on Family and Legal Action
The emotional toll of the deportation is also heavy. The man says he owns a home in the US where his children live and is now deeply concerned about their welfare.
“How am I supposed to pay the mortgage? My kids are there, and I can’t see them. It’s heartbreaking.”
The case has added fuel to mounting criticism of the US government’s “third-country deportation” policy, which involves removing individuals to countries other than their own. In this instance, deportees from Nigeria, Liberia, Togo, and The Gambia were sent to Ghana without their home governments’ involvement.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, had earlier defended the move, calling it an act of “pan-African empathy.” He also stated that Ghana had received no financial compensation for accepting the deportees.
President John Mahama confirmed three weeks ago that Ghana agreed to temporarily host the group after the US approached the government with the request. However, opposition lawmakers have called for the deal’s suspension, demanding parliamentary oversight.
Legal Action Underway
Lawyers representing the deportees have initiated legal proceedings against both the US and Ghanaian governments, alleging human rights violations and breaches of international deportation protocols.
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian government has said it intends to receive another 40 deportees, despite rising public concern and political pressure.
As the legal and diplomatic fallout continues, the stranded deportees remain in limbo—stateless, undocumented, and without clarity on what lies ahead.
