KEHINDE AKINTOLA
Nigerian Government has expressed disgust over the deportation of 723 of its citizens by Ghanian authorities between 2018 and 2019.
Nigeria’s stance against the inhuman treatment meted against its citizens was conveyed through Michael Abikoye, Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana to Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
Abikoye who spoke at a meeting with Kwame Takyi, GIS Comptroller-General lamented that 723 Nigerians were deported on alleged illegal stay, cybercrime and prostitution between the January 2018 and January 2019.
He observed that 81 Nigerians were deported on alleged cybercrime and illegal stay in January, while 115 have so far been deported in February 2019 on the allegation bothering on overstay and prostitution.
The High Commissioner cautioned against any inhuman treatment to Nigerians by the Ghanaian government warned that any form of torture or ill treatment of Nigerians would not be acceptable to Nigeria.
He said, though the High Commission would not condone any form of criminality on the part of Nigerians, inhuman treatment and alleged torture of some Nigerians in Ghana would not be tolerated.
“Although the GIS had linked prostitution and cybercrimes as some of the reasons for the deportation, it is improper to deport Nigerians for alleged illegal stay in Ghana.
“There are several Ghanaians living in Nigeria and the Nigeria Immigration Service has never deported any of them, because of a sense of brotherliness between our two countries,” he said
The Ambassador therefore presented to the Comptroller-General a copy of the Mission’s records of deportations spanning January 2018 till date.
He lamented that Nigerians were not being fairly treated, stressing that there have been reported cases of molestation, harassment and torture of Nigerians by GIS officials, especially those awaiting deportation at the GIS detention facility.
The Ambassador also showed photos of some of them who sustained injuries on their legs, arms and eyes in the process of the torture.
According to him, the inhuman act was against the United Nations Convention against Torture.
He therefore urged the GIS authorities to prevail on relevant officials to treat Nigerians and other ECOWAS nationals with human face, caution and not as common criminals.
Abikoye expressed displeasure on the long detention of Nigerians in the GIS custody after proper documentation and issuance of Emergency Travel Certificate for their reparation by the High Commission.
He appealed that considering the poor state of the GIS’s facility, the Ghana Immigration Service should expedite action in their early reparation to Nigeria immediately after the issuance of Emergency Travel Certificates.
In his response, Kwame Takyi, GIS Comptroller-General who aknowledged the existing bilateral relationship between the two countries, argued that the GIS was compelled to carry out repatriation because of the conduct of some Nigerian nationals in Ghana.
He alleged that besides engaging in cybercrime and prostitution, “some Nigerians have become laws in themselves; they do road blockages in major Ghanaian streets where they drink, fight and stab each other.
“This unruly behaviour which contravenes the local laws in Ghana has led to directive from higher authority for their arrests and eventual deportation of those who do not have the requisite immigration papers.”
Takyi who promised to investigate alleged torture of some Nigerians, however, showed the Ambassador a video of some Nigerians obstructing justice by preventing GIS officials’ vehicle the right of way after arresting a Nigerian in Kasoa area.
According to the report, the incessant deportation of Nigerians and alleged inhuman treatment of some of them, has once again brings to fore the urgent need for Federal Government to hasten on earlier proposal to fix a date for hosting of the Ghana and Nigeria Permanent Joint Commission meeting.
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