The pursuit of greener pastures has landed two Ghanaians in war-torn Darfur, Sudan, from where they have had to be repatriated after their arrest. They entered Darfur from Libya after a two-year unsuccessful stay. The two, Robert Teye Agbo and Nii Addo Ayi Mingle, entered Darfur through Chad but were immediately arrested by Sudanese Police for illegally entering the country.

Darfur has been the scene of a worsening humanitarian crisis, following fighting between forces loyal to the Sudanese government and rebel forces.

Over two million people have been displaced by the crisis, which has necessitated the United Nations/African Union positioning a peacekeeping force there.

In an interview with the Times from his Darfur base yesterday, Superintendent David Eklu, Public Information Officer, Civilian Police Component of the African Mission in Sudan, said the two men were arrested weeks ago in the Western part of Sudan, near the Chad border. He said the Sudanese Police consequently informed the Ghanaian Peacekeepers in Darfur who quickly went to their aid by providing money for their transport back through Chad, Nigeria and to Ghana.

The Sudanese Police explained that since the two had not committed any criminal offence, they could only arrange their deportation through the same route they entered which is through Chad.

Supt. Eklu said the two claimed they had spent two years in Libya but found life there very difficult, so they decided to cross the desert into Darfur to “seek greener pastures.

They have since left Darfur and are traveling by road with documents given to them by the Sudanese Immigration authorities to facilitate their movement across the Chad border. It may take them between one or two days to reach the Chad border and then to Nigeria, then Ghana.