In brief
Eleven deportees from the US have filed a lawsuit against the Ghanaian government, asserting their detention is illegal. Citing a lack of legal justification for their imprisonment in a military camp, the detainees' lawyer seeks their release. The case emerges amid political tensions regarding Ghana's recent deportation agreement with the US. Opposition parties in Ghana are demanding that such agreements be debated and ratified by parliament, further complicating the ongoing controversy.
Eleven people detained in Ghana after being deported from the US have sued the West African nation's government, their lawyer has told the BBC.Oliver-Barker Vormawor stated that the deportees had not violated any Ghanaian law, making their detention in a military camp illegal. He has requested that the government present the group in court to justify their unlawful detention.The Ghanaian government has not yet responded to the lawsuit but has indicated plans to accept another 40 deportees. Opposition MPs are calling for an immediate suspension of the deportation deal until it is ratified by parliament, citing the necessity of fulfilling legal obligations.Recently, President John Mahama announced that 14 deportees from West Africa had arrived following a US agreement. However, there have been conflicting statements about the status of these individuals, with the minister stating that only some had been returned.Vormawor's court application conflicts with official statements, asserting that 11 deportees remain in custody. These individuals were reportedly confined in a US detention center before being shackled and transported via military aircraft to Ghana. This incident is part of a broader US immigration policy shift under President Trump, emphasizing record deportations of undocumented migrants. Ghana's foreign minister expressed that accepting deportees is driven by humanitarian principles and pan-African empathy, distancing the country from endorsing US immigration policies.Additionally, five detainees, including three Nigerians and two Gambians, have filed suit against the US government, claiming protections under a court order against deportation.
