Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak has directed the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to immediately investigate a disturbing incident captured in a viral video, in which uniformed officers are seen dragging a female United States deportee across the floor of a hotel in Ogbojo, Accra.
The footage, filmed at the VICSEM Hotel on November 11, 2025, triggered widespread outrage after it emerged that the woman being dragged was reportedly unwell and on medication. The deportee was part of a group recently repatriated from the United States and temporarily housed at the facility.
Human rights lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor was among the first to condemn the treatment, describing the scene as unacceptable and demanding accountability.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, November 17, Minister Muntaka expressed regret over the incident and assured the public that the matter was being handled with urgency. He revealed that the Comptroller-General of Immigration had been ordered to submit a detailed report within the week.
According to the minister, preliminary information suggests the woman may have been experiencing a medical episode at the time, which could have contributed to tensions between her and the officers. He stressed, however, that he would not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.
Muntaka strongly rejected claims that the government condones mistreatment of deportees or migrants. He emphasised that Ghana’s policies, and its commitments under ECOWAS protocols—require that all individuals from the sub-region and beyond be treated with dignity.
He reiterated that deportees arriving in Ghana are handled through a coordinated system involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant embassies, ensuring that individuals without criminal backgrounds are supported in either settling temporarily or returning to their countries of origin.
The minister insisted that Ghana remains committed to humane and lawful treatment of all foreign nationals brought into the country, noting that most of the recent deportees have already been processed and assisted.
As public scrutiny intensifies, all eyes are now on the pending GIS investigative report, expected before the close of the week. The findings are anticipated to determine whether disciplinary measures will follow and how future repatriation cases will be managed to prevent similar incidents.
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