The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday confirmed that five Ghanaians have been deported from Nigeria.

Deputy Minister Akwasi Osei-Adjei told Joy News that it was not normal procedure to dump nationals at the boarder without any formal communication with their country of origin as reported in this case.

He said the ministry was therefore in touch with Ghana’s mission in Nigeria on the development.

The Nigerian authorities have been deporting foreign nationals who have not regularized their stay in that country in the past few days even though the ECOWAS protocol allowed for free movement of people, services and goods for ninety days.

It has been suggested that the deportation exercise is part of efforts to prevent foreigners from voting in the upcoming general elections in April.

Twenty Ghanaians who were deported from Nigeria to the Aflao Border in the Volta region narrated their experiences to Joy News.

Shoe repairer Kwabena Frimpong said they were kept in cells for some time before they were brought to the border.

The group is under the care of the national disaster management organisation.