Michael Abikoye, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, has described the deportation of Nigerians by the Ghana Immigration Service as an “improper act”.
He stated this at a meeting with the Comptroller-General of the GIS, Kwame Takyi, in Ghana.
The Nigerian ambassador said the deportation could strain the brotherly relationship both countries share.
It was revealed by the High Commissioner that between 2018 and 2019, 723 Nigerians have been sent back to Nigeria on the basis of alleged cybercrime and prostitution.
Abikoye said in January, 81 Nigerians were returned home for alleged cybercrime and illegal stay, while 115 were deported on the allegation of overstay and prostitution.
He said: “Although the GIS had linked prostitution and cybercrime 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 on the grounds of illegal stay, because of the brotherliness between our countries.”
Abikoye warned that any maltreatment of Nigerians will not be tolerated by the Nigerian government.
The ambassador gave the CG a copy of the mission’s record which shows the deportation of Nigerians from January 2018 till date.
In his remarks, Takyi said GIS had no choice but to act because of the behaviour of some Nigerians in Ghana.
Takyi claimed that “some Nigerians had become laws in themselves; they block major Ghanaian streets where they drink, fight and stab one another.”
“This unruly behaviour which contravenes the local laws in Ghana has led to directives from higher authorities for the arrests and eventual deportation of those who do not have the requisite immigration papers,” he added.
