Ghana’s Immigration Service (GIS) has been on high alert for the possible infiltration of the country by Boko Haram jihadists who may have escaped from prison in Nigeria on 6th July 2022.
On 8th July, all regional and sector commanders of the Immigration Service were asked to institute measures to intercept and possibly arrest any such infiltrators at Ghana’s
“Considering current migration trends of Nigerians within the sub-region, it is likely most of the escapees will attempt to enter Ghana through approved and unapproved routes,” a communique from the Commissioner General of Immigration said.
Hundreds of inmates and nearly 70 jihadists escaped when gunmen using explosives blasted into the Kuje prison near Nigeria’s capital Abuja on Tuesday, in an assault claimed by the Islamic State militant group.
The raid was a major blow to Nigeria’s overstretched security forces after Islamist militants showed they can carry out a sophisticated operation just 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock in Abuja.
Nigerian prison authorities say most inmates have been recaptured, though the whereabouts of most of the escaped Boko Haram militants and other jihadists were unclear.
Ghana’s immigration service ordered its officials to tighten controls and intensify border patrols to help stop infiltration by escapees, according to a communique to commanders.
Nigeria and Ghana are separated by smaller, French-speaking Benin and Togo, but road and air travel between the two English-speaking West African states is common and Nigerians usually require no visa for Ghana.
Both countries are members of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc, which officially allows visa-free travel among members.