At least 42 Nigerians have been deported from Ghana’s Ashanti Region following court rulings connected to offences including prostitution, fraud, and related crimes.
Frank Amoakohene, Ashanti regional minister, disclosed the development in a Facebook post on Thursday.
He said the deportations also affected other African nationals, including 13 Cameroonians, three Ivorians, three Burkinabe nationals, and seven Beninese citizens.
In all, Amoakohene noted that 68 African nationals were deported from the region following the court rulings.
“A total of 42 Nigerians, 13 Cameroonians, 3 Ivorians, 3 Burkinabe nationals, and 7 Benin nationals have been deported from the Ashanti Region to their respective countries following various court rulings involving Q-Net, prostitution, and other criminal activities,” he wrote.
“I commend the Ghana Immigration Service for its professionalism, diligence, and firm commitment to enforcing our immigration laws, while upholding due process and human dignity.
“Their collaboration with the courts and other security agencies continues to strengthen public safety, protect vulnerable persons, and preserve law and order in the region.”
The deportation followed heightened attention on Nigerians facing arrests and immigration actions in several countries.
In late November, no fewer than 50 Nigerians were arrested in India during a major coordinated operation targeting a transnational narcotics network.
The suspects were believed to be connected to a large-scale drug trafficking and hawala money-laundering ring operating across multiple Indian cities.
According to a report by Indian news agency NDTV on Thursday, the crackdown was spearheaded by the Delhi Police in partnership with the Telangana Police’s EAGLE unit.
The report said months of intelligence work led to simultaneous raids across Delhi, disrupting key layers of a cartel involved in the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine.