The Federal Government has secured the release of 36 Nigerians held in Prison by Ghanaian authorities under inhumane conditions.
A rights group, Concerned Citizens Rights raised an alarm in a letter to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) that 36 Nigerians were languishing in a Ghanaian prison and being treated worse than animals.
“Available information corroborated the fact that about 35 Nigerians are currently detained; some, for more than 45 days in unsanitary conditions in the arrival hall and other locations, which can better be described as concentration camps.
“They sleep on bare concrete floors without food, and with just one toilet for all genders.” The rights group had written in a letter to NIDCOM.
Speaking in series of tweets however, NIDCOM said the Nigerians were arrested for trying to Ghana illegally.
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It said the Nigerian Mission in Accra was able to prevail on Ghanaian authorities not to press charges on the arrested Nigerians.
The Commission said further that the affected individuals will undergo COVID-19 tests before being allowed back in the country.
“About a month ago, the Nigerian mission in Ghana got a call about the arrest of 6 Nigerians who were caught at Aflao border trying to enter Ghana,” the Diaspora Commission said on twitter.
The Nigerian Consular team was dispatched by the High Commission to go and Intervene immediately, and on getting there, they met with about 30 more Nigerians who were arrested for also trying to enter Ghana through illegal routes due to the border closure.
“The consular team appealed to the immigration officials not to charge the apprehended Nigerians to court.
“The officials agreed and allowed the team to get their details to secure approval from the appropriate authorities for them to be evacuated with stranded Nigerians, as the Ghanaian immigration would not permit them to proceed into Ghana because of the border closure.
“There are in total about 50 Nigerians detained by the Ghanaian Immigration authorities because some were moved away from Aflao and kept somewhere else.
“The Consular team from the Nigerian mission have paid the detained Nigerians consular visits twice, and have secured their release. However, as instructed by the NCDC they need to do their COVID 19 tests before returning to Nigeria.
“As soon as this is done they will return with the next set of returnees. However, it should be noted that 11 of the detainees however escaped according to Ghanaian immigration.
“The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission will not relent in demanding fair treatment of Nigerians around the world.”