A Nigerian man deported from the United States has alleged that he has been left stranded in a hotel in Togo, after Ghanaian authorities secretly moved him and five other migrants across the border.
The man, who spoke to the BBC on Wednesday under anonymity, said he was among 11 West African nationals deported by the US as part of its immigration crackdown.
Ghana initially received the migrants but later transferred some of them to Togo, despite an ongoing legal case challenging their detention.
“We’re Just Stuck in a Hotel”
The Nigerian described the conditions in Ghana as “deplorable” and said he and the others were told they were being moved to better accommodation, only to find themselves dumped in Togo.
“We’re struggling to survive in Togo without any documentation. None of us has family here. We’re just stuck in a hotel,” he said.
He explained that he is unable to return to Nigeria due to fears of arrest and torture, citing his membership of the Yoruba self-determination movement, an activist group pushing for a breakaway state.
Family Left Behind in the US
The deportee also expressed concern for his family still living in the US.
“I have a house in the US where my kids live. How am I supposed to pay the mortgage? I don’t know how they’ll manage while I’m gone. My kids can’t see me, and it’s just so stressful,” he lamented.
According to him, he had been under a US court-ordered protection status, which he believed should have shielded him from deportation.
The case highlights growing concerns over the handling of West African deportees by both the US and receiving countries, with human rights groups warning of potential violations of international protection agreements.
