By Deborah Nnamdi
Ghanaian immigration officials reported that more than 2,000 undocumented foreign nationals were detained in Accra on Friday during a coordinated operation aimed at dismantling criminal networks and addressing the rise in street begging.
According to the Immigration Service, 2,241 individuals were arrested during early morning raids—of these, 1,332 were children.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak stated on Facebook that the operation was initiated in response to growing concerns over organized street begging involving foreign nationals.
“This activity poses a national security threat and tarnishes our country’s image,” he wrote.
Mubarak noted that many of those apprehended had entered Ghana through unauthorized routes, circumventing official immigration processes.
A significant number of the detainees were from neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso—currently under military rule—and Togo, while others came from countries farther away, including Nigeria.
Authorities said the migrants will undergo security and health screenings before being repatriated, and assured that all procedures would be carried out with “the highest professionalism and respect for human rights.”
Some residents expressed support for the crackdown.
John Gyamfi, a 43-year-old spare parts dealer, said the arrests were “long overdue.”
“Some of these foreigners are involved in prostitution and begging,” he said. “It’s embarrassing—they’re mistaken for Ghanaians and it harms our country’s reputation. Once they leave, our streets will be cleaner.”
However, not all migrants came with criminal intent. Some said they fled hardship and insecurity in their home countries.
“We’re just looking for food,” said Chamsiya Alhassan, a mother from Niger, while waiting in line for a bus. “Our husbands and relatives have been killed. We came here simply to survive.”
The Sahel region, from which many of the migrants originate, continues to grapple with escalating jihadist violence linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups.
