Esther Imonmion
Ghana’s government says 14 West Africans deported from the United States to Ghana were later transferred to their home countries, though lawyers for some of the men dispute that account.
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told reporters at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, that the group — 13 Nigerians and one Gambian — had been repatriated. He said Ghana accepted the third-country deportees “purely on humanitarian grounds” and rejected suggestions the move amounted to support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s migration policies.
“We should rather be seen as a country that wants to look out for its fellow Africans,” Ablakwa said at the briefing, adding that Ghana did not receive any financial compensation. “We made it clear to the Americans that we will not accept $1.”
Nigeria’s government said it was not briefed about its nationals being routed through Ghana and noted that previous deportations had come directly from the United States.
In a court filing dated Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, lawyers for four of the deportees contradicted the government’s account, saying the men remained in Ghana and had not been returned to their home countries. The attorneys argued that some of the men could face persecution or torture if repatriated and that the deportations violated due process.
“We believe that the plaintiffs’ deportations to Ghana did not comply with principles of due process. These people were not told where they were going,” said Samantha Hamilton, an attorney for the migrants, in the Sept. 15 court filing.
Gambia’s authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment as of Sept. 15, 2025.
The case highlights the humanitarian and legal tensions surrounding accelerated U.S. deportation policies, which critics say have at times undermined migrants’ legal rights and safety.