Sixteen Nigerians ranging from 19 years to 24 years, have been deported from Ghana for allegedly committing cyber crimes.
The Controller of the Seme Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Dr Chukwu Emeka, disclosed this on Friday during a news conference in Seme, Lagos State.
Emeka said the young Nigerians, who claimed they were deceived, left the country in search of greener pastures.
He said, “Ghana’s Financial and Intelligence Agency accused them of cyber crime but from our preliminary investigation, we discovered that some of them were lured into these criminal activities due to the get-rich syndrome our youths are developing.
“Some of them are victims in the sense that they were deceived that they can make money if they leave Nigeria. Unfortunately, they don’t get the actual thing they bargained for in Ghana.
“Further investigation also showed that most of them left the country through illegal routes or through the sea to other West African countries.
“We also discovered that most of them travelled without genuine travel documents, so when they got to Ghana they became prey to the authorities.
“The Comptroller General of NIS, Mr Idris Jere, has always advised Nigerians to get genuine travellers’ documents before leaving the country.
“Yes, we are part of the ECOWAS treaty of free movement and goods within the sub-region. But the condition is that you must enter those countries through a legitimate route and with the right travel documents.
“It is also important to have definite means of livelihood, if not, by the time you get there, they will see you as a public charge and they will return you to your country.”
The controller further stated that the Ghanian Government had contacted the Seme Command of NIS that they would be repatriating more Nigerians soon.
After concluding its investigation, he promised to return those already repatriated to their families.
One of the deportees, Richard Paska, said that he was lured to Ghana by the promise of a good job.
The 24-year-old graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, said, “My father had to look for money to let me go in February 2021, so that I could start a job. The job was a networking business, but when I arrived in Ghana, the story changed.
“I was managing myself with some Nigerians when some of the personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service arrested us and brought us back to Nigeria.
“I had intended to come back but I did not have the transport fare. I really regret going to Ghana,” he said.
