The first group of Nigerians has been sent home from the U.S. under Trump’s policy.
John Mahama said they passed through Ghana before traveling back to their country.
The first batch of Nigerians slated for deportation from the United States under President Donald Trump’s immigration policy has departed the country. Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama revealed this during a media briefing on Wednesday night.
According to Mahama, 14 people mainly Nigerians and one Gambian were recently flown to Ghana before being assisted to reach their home countries. He explained that the Nigerians had been sent onward by bus, while arrangements were still being made to return the Gambian citizen.
Mahama said Ghana was contacted by U.S. officials to temporarily receive deported nationals from West Africa, a request Accra accepted under a regional cooperation framework. “We agreed to help because West African citizens do not need visas to enter our country,” he explained.
He noted that despite the growing tensions over U.S. tariffs and visa restrictions on Ghanaian nationals, Ghana’s relationship with Washington remained largely cooperative.
The Trump administration has been seeking agreements with various African nations to take in deportees as part of its broader immigration crackdown. Other countries whose citizens have been expelled under similar programs include Jamaica, Vietnam and Laos. These moves have been criticized by human rights advocates as violations of due process and international norms.
Nigeria has previously expressed its opposition to accepting third-country deportees from the U.S., insisting it will not be pressured into such arrangements.
Washington has already returned deportees to several African countries this year. In July, five people were sent to Eswatini and eight to South Sudan. Rwanda also received seven migrants from the U.S. in August under a new bilateral deal that allows for the transfer of up to 250 people.
