Legal Battle Over West African Deportees Escalates in Ghana

In a significant legal move, a Ghanaian lawyer has filed a lawsuit to halt the deportation of 11 West Africans who were sent from the United States. The lawsuit, submitted in Accra, contends that these individuals face a high risk of torture and persecution if returned to their home countries.

The deportees, representing nations such as Nigeria, Liberia, Togo, Gambia, and Mali, were initially kept in Ghana under a scheme supported by Ghana's President. However, the lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, argues that at least eight had been granted protection against deportation due to the dire risks involved.

This legal conflict underscores broader concerns regarding U.S. immigration policies and their human rights implications. A separate lawsuit in the U.S. further questions the deportations' legality, although a federal judge admitted a lack of jurisdiction to address the case. Ghana has stated its acceptance of the deportees was for humanitarian reasons.

(With inputs from agencies.)