Immigration officials in Ghana have confirmed the arrest of 28 Burkinabe nationals in the Upper West Region for attempting to sneak into the country illegally.

The ECOWAS nationals were arrested on Wednesday at about 9am at the Hamile District Assembly Barrier in the Upper West Region.

The irregular migrants comprising 19 males and nine females were on board a passenger Benz bus with registration number GN 2220-10 while embarking on the journey.

Their ages are between three and 64 years, the Ghana Immigration Service said on Thursday.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the migrants were destined for Kumasi for farming activities,” a statement signed by Director of Public Affairs at the Ghana Immigration Service in the Upper West Region, Ibn Yussif Duranah Abdul-Mumin read.

“They were duly screened by the health personnel before being handed over to the Burkina Faso authorities on the other side of the border at about 0810HRS on 22nd July 2020,” the statement further added.

This comes in the wake of border closures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

More than 200 of such persons have been arrested and handed over to authorities in neighboring countries.

President Akufo-Addo ordered an immediate shutdown of Ghana’s borders following a spike in the country’s case count earlier in March.

Ghana has recorded more than 28,000 COVID-19 infections with over 150 deaths.