The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has vehemently condemned the ongoing protest by aggrieved Ghanaians calling on Nigerians to be deported from their country.
Ghanaian, mainly youths, recently stormed the streets to protest against Nigerians, accusing them of engaging in mass prostitution, ritual killings, kidnapping, and violent crimes in their country.
In a viral video that surfaced on social media, captured the protesters, numbering in their hundreds, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Armed robbery and violent attacks must stop,” “Our health at stake due to mass prostitution,” “Nigerians are kidnapping and using people for rituals,” and “Our kids are getting missing because of Igbos.”
Reacting, Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, disclosed that the Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO NIDCOM, said the blanket outrage against Nigerians in Ghana and branding them as criminals should be condemned by all.
She said: “Nigerians are not criminals. They are good ambassadors wherever they find themselves while those bad ones should be fish out and face the necessary sanctions.
“Ghana and Nigeria are like Siamese twins. They are brothers, and such, in the spirit of ECOWAS and regional integration should continue to live in peace like brothers.”
The NIDCOM Boss urged Nigerians living in Ghana to remain calm and avoid being provoked into violence.
She emphasized that the situation is being addressed at the diplomatic level. Furthermore, she advised both Nigerians and Ghanaians to refrain from using inflammatory language, as this could escalate the issue.
Dabiri-Erewa also advised Nigerians to disregard the videos circulating that Ghanaians destroy Nigerians’ shops and properties.
“There is no evidence to that and we must at all cost prevent any reprisal attacks,” she said.
She praised Ghanaian and Nigeria High Commissioners for their efforts to control the situation, adding that the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, has also been in touch with Ghanaian authorities and had taken some pro-active measures.
