A campaign to force the British Government to apologise for its “racist, discriminative and disgraceful” behaviour in West Africa during World War Two has been lodged at parliament.

The petition calls for “historic restitution” following the forceful conscription of more than 50,000 West African men and the “shocking” treatment of 200,000 others.

Many were physically dragged from their homes in the former British colonies of Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Gambia on the direct order of Her Majesty’s Government, campaigns say.