Ghanaian authorities have deported 42 Nigerians from the Ashanti Region after court rulings linked them to prostitution, fraud, and other criminal activities. The action forms part of a wider enforcement effort targeting foreign nationals convicted of immigration and criminal offences. In total, 68 individuals from five African countries were affected.
The deportations were confirmed by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Frank Amoakohene, in a Facebook post dated Thursday, December 18, 2025. He said the removals followed due legal processes and court decisions across the region.
According to Amoakohene, those deported include 42 Nigerians, 13 Cameroonians, three Ivorians, three Burkinabe nationals, and seven citizens of Benin. The offences cited ranged from prostitution-related activities to fraud, including cases linked to Q-Net and other criminal operations.
He explained that the deportations were carried out by the Ghana Immigration Service in collaboration with the courts and other security agencies. Amoakohene praised immigration officials for what he described as professionalism and adherence to due process while enforcing Ghana’s immigration laws.
In his statement, the regional minister said the coordinated effort helped strengthen public safety, protect vulnerable persons, and maintain law and order in the Ashanti Region. He stressed that enforcement actions were conducted with respect for human dignity despite the firm approach.
The latest development has drawn attention amid growing reports of increased scrutiny of Nigerians abroad. Across several countries, Nigerian nationals have recently been linked to high-profile arrests and deportations involving transnational crimes.
Only weeks earlier, authorities in India arrested at least 50 Nigerians during one of the country’s largest coordinated crackdowns on an international narcotics and money-laundering network. The suspects were allegedly connected to a drug trafficking syndicate distributing methamphetamine and cocaine across multiple Indian cities.
Indian media reports said the operation was led by the Delhi Police in partnership with the Telangana Police’s EAGLE unit. Investigators reportedly spent months gathering intelligence before launching simultaneous raids across Delhi and other locations.
Those raids dismantled major layers of a cartel believed to be using hawala networks to launder proceeds from drug sales. The arrests further fueled public debate about the activities of foreign criminal networks operating across borders.
In Ghana, authorities have maintained that recent deportations are not targeted at any nationality but are driven by court rulings and the need to enforce immigration and criminal laws consistently. Officials say similar actions will continue as part of efforts to curb organised crime and uphold public order.
The deportations underscore a broader regional trend of stricter immigration enforcement as African countries intensify cooperation between security agencies and judicial institutions.
