Latest report from Ghana on Thursday says 19 Nigerians have been arrested for crossing Ghana closed borders.
But the Nigerian Seme border have been opened for months now, goods and citizens from Ghana and neighboring countries are allowed to enter Nigeria, Ghanaian market men and women flock to Nigeria without hindrances.
An average Nigerian living in the east or north may not know the Ghana borders are closed because other Country borders are opened.
Our correspondent reported that immigration at the Aflao border allow Togolese to pass through, Nigerians were asked to pay 50 GHC on the Togo side and 50 GHC on the Ghana side, making a total of 100 GHC an equivalent of 9,400 Naira.
The thugs who mounted the roadblocks said and I quote, “if you won’t pay go back we don’t want Nigerians here”.
Immigration from both countries was sitting not too far from where the thugs were collecting the money and opening wired fence for people to cross.
On our way to Accra, there were more than 7 police / Immigration checking points. At one of those points, a lady asked for my ID, I flashed my ID, oh you are a media man, that’s okay she left me. The Togolese paid 10 GHC while the two Nigerians inside the vehicle in front of us were asked to pay 50 GHC each.
The payment continued until Sogakope checking points.
The immigration officers there have already been notified of their coming. They pulled up the car, removed the boys, both our driver and the other people try to plead, it all fell on deaf ears, the boys were asked to pay 50,000 Naira each or go back to Nigeria.
The boys claimed their money was finished. The driver was asked to return them to the Togo border
Arresting Nigerians across the borders is now the most lucrative business for border patrols.
When the borders were opened, even without documents you pay 5 GHC as ECOWAS citizens.
Togo has now keyed into the business, unfortunately, Nigerians will always be the sacrificial ram.
