Ken Ofori-Atta was not arrested over extradition request - Barker-Vormawor clarifies

Ghanaian activist and lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor has clarified that the former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, was not arrested in connection with any extradition request, but rather for overstaying his visa.

Speaking on the matter via an X post on January 8, 2026, Barker-Vormawor stated; “Ken Ofori-Atta was not arrested over our extradition request.

"He was arrested for overstaying his visa. He is liable to being deported; not extradited.”

The clarification comes amid speculations following reports of Ofori-Atta’s detention abroad on January 7, 2026.

According to immigration authorities, the arrest was linked to a violation of visa regulations, which makes him subject to deportation procedures rather than extradition.

Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s finance minister from 2017 until 2024, was a central figure in the country’s economic management during the Akufo-Addo administration.

Ken Ofori-Atta arrested and detained in the US

The arrest has reignited public debates, with some commentators linking it to ongoing calls for accountability regarding his stewardship of Ghana’s finances.

However, Barker-Vormawor’s remarks show that the current situation is strictly an immigration matter, not a criminal extradition process.

See details of the US ICE facility where Ken Ofori-Atta is being held

Read Barker-Vormawor's statement below:

Ken Ofori-Atta was not arrested over our extradition request. He was arrested for overstaying his visa.

He is liable to being deported. Not extradited.

— Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor (@barkervogues) January 8, 2026

VKB/AE

Meanwhile, watch as NDC MPs and party leadership pay tribute to late Naser Toure Mahama