Eleven West African nationals recently deported from the United States have withdrawn an injunction application they filed at the Human Rights Division of Ghana’s High Court, which sought to challenge their detention and subsequent deportation.
The ex parte motion, filed just before their removal from Ghana, aimed to stop the repatriation process and compel the state to justify the legality of their confinement. However, their lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, confirmed to Citi News that the case has been dropped since the deportation has already taken place.
Barker-Vormawor expressed frustration with what he called deliberate delays in Ghana’s justice system. He argued that his clients were denied the opportunity to defend themselves and accused state authorities of breaching due process. He added that the group may now pursue the matter at the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria.
The deportees include Nigerian, Liberian, Togolese, Gambian, and Malian nationals. In their affidavits, they alleged that they were abruptly removed from U.S. detention centers between September 5 and 6, 2025, shackled, and forcibly flown to Ghana without explanation. On arrival, they claim, they were placed in what appeared to be a military facility, denied court access, and held without judicial oversight.
They further argued that their detention violated constitutional rights to liberty and administrative justice under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, and that the international principle of non-refoulement—which protects individuals from being sent to places where they may face persecution—was disregarded.
Author: Jasmine Adjei
Development journalist
