BY: Vivian Dzoboku | Voltaonlinegh.com |
The alertness of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has led to the interception of 119 suspected illegal immigrants of ECOWAS descent at the inland check point in Sogakope on 23rd January, 2021.
In a statement sighted by Volta Online news team, the Commander at the checkpoint, Superintendent Maxwell Osae Badu revealed that, those arrested were suspected to have entered the country illegally through different unapproved routes with the support of cross border syndicates.
He further disclosed that, the suspects were intercepted at Sogakope after they had clandestinely used the services of motor riders (Okada) to outwit officers at the check point and gathered in wait for their respective drivers to continue their journey.
Among those intercepted were 116 males and 3 females comprised of 67 Nigerians, 35 Nigeriens, 9 Togolese, 3 Ivorians, 4 Beninese and a Ghanaian.
A Preliminary investigation revealed that 8 suspected mini bus drivers namely, Ebenezer Ativor, Jonas Agbadi, Godwin Ganu, Godwin Abordzi, Kavi Prison Noah Nigro Aziegba, Simon Gadasu, Sylvester Sosu with vehicle registration numbers; VR 629 – 13, GT 5456-12, AS 7947-18, GT 7146-20, GM 5497-13, VR 295-11, VD 54-20 and AS 4579-09 respectively aided in the illegal movements of the suspect.
The suspects in their statements noted that, they came through unapproved routes from the respective ECOWAS countries through Togo with the help of commercial motor bike riders (Okada) as some intended to transit to Cote d’Ivoire while others disclosed going to visit relatives and friends in the capital, Accra.
However, the suspects, excluding the Ghanaian have since been sent back to Togo through appropriate process from necessary investigation as COVID – 19 safety protocols were concluded.
Following the closure of Ghana’s land borders with the aim to curb the spread of the novel corona virus (COVID-19), many immigrants and traders have been using all manner of means to cross in and out of Ghana.
This has also led to the tightened security along the country’s boundaries by the Ghana Immigration Service and other security agencies.
