Accra: Government has deported the 11 West African Nationals, who filed a suit against the country to their home countries over the weekend. The 11 nationals, comprising four Nigerians, three Togolese, two Malians, one Gambian, and one Liberian, were seeking the enforcement of their human rights, arguing that they were being detained in Ghana against their will.
According to Ghana News Agency, the deportees had also filed an injunction against their repatriation and another order compelling the government to produce them before the court. On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, when the case was called, the High Court, Land Division presided over by Madam Priscilla Ofori, ordered the lawyers of the applicants to serve notice to the Attorney General, Chief of Defence Staff, and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, indicating that the case had become of national and international interest.
The judge noted that after examining the orders sought, it was of national and international interest, and opined that it would be in the interest of justice for the two motions brought ex parte to be brought on notice to the respondent for consideration. However, Mr. Oliver Barker Vormawor, Lead Counsel, informed the court that the action would not be necessary since their applications had become moot.
Mr. Barker Vormawor stated that the 11 West African nationals were deported over the weekend, and thus sought leave of the court to withdraw the two motions he had filed. He added that when they appeared in court on September 18, 2025, the court adjourned the matter to the morning session and declined their request to grant an order to prevent removal in the interim.
He further explained that they had informed the court that the individuals whose human rights they were seeking to enforce were all deported over the weekend, rendering their applications moot. Mr. Barker-Vormawor expressed concern that this was the very injury they were trying to prevent, urging the court to be more decisive to prevent further injury and injustice to other deportees. He noted that the government has agreed with the US government to accept more nationals, with 14 already having arrived in the country.
The court, after being informed, struck out the suit as withdrawn. The deportations are part of the US government’s hard-line approach towards immigration since President Donald Trump took office in January.