The video is seared into the conscience of every Sierra Leonean. It shows Rabiatu Mariama Kuyateh, a respected nurse who built her life across the Atlantic, not arriving home in Freetown with dignity, but being dragged across a floor in Accra, Ghana, by officers. Witnesses say she was suffering an asthma attack. The officers, however, only saw a deportee to be physically subdued and removed.
This horrific incident, which took place on 11 November 2025 at the Vicsem Hotel, is more than just a case of excessive force. It is a fundamental violation of human dignity and a shameful betrayal of the spirit of ECOWAS. It is a stain on Ghana’s reputation and demands immediate, transparent accountability.
Ms. Kuyateh, who is believed to have lived and worked in the United States for 35 years, was removed under enhanced U.S. immigration policies. She expected to return to Sierra Leone. Instead, she became a casualty of a little-known, controversial deal; an agreement for Ghana to serve as a transit hub for African nationals deported from the United States. Ghana may reap some diplomatic benefits from this deal, but what is the true cost?
The cost is the sight of our sister, a West African citizen, being traumatized twice, first by long-term separation from her life in America, and second by harsh, dehumanizing treatment in a supposed neighbourly transit country. Her medical emergency, ignored during the struggle, shows the utter failure of oversight and basic human empathy in these procedures.
The reaction from Sierra Leone has been, rightly, one of collective outrage and humiliation. This degrading scene diminishes all of us. The Sierra Leone High Commission in Accra acted swiftly, confirming the video and raising serious concerns with Ghana’s foreign and interior ministers. They demanded guarantees of safety and a comprehensive review of the procedures.
Yet, despite this diplomatic intervention, the denial of access to Ms. Kuyateh on the day of her removal to Freetown, 12 November, is unacceptable. An internal probe, as promised by Ghana’s Interior Minister on 13 November, is insufficient until its findings are public and its consequences are firm. The Ghana Immigration Service’s silence is deafening.
This incident exposes deep systemic flaws in how our governments navigate global migration pressures. West African states must resist the temptation to trade away the dignity of their people for diplomatic expediency. Agreements that lack parliamentary scrutiny and risk violating fundamental regional standards, like the free movement and protection of West Africans, must be immediately frozen and re-evaluated.
The government in Freetown must not settle for cautious statements. We expect answers. We expect action. Ghana must publish its full findings and punish those responsible for Ms. Kuyateh’s ordeal. Our regional trust depends on it. If African governments remain silent in the face of such trauma, more scenes like this will surface, and the solidarity between West African neighbours will weaken beyond repair. The protection of our citizens’ lives, health, and dignity is non-negotiable.