The Nigerian Federal Government has reacted to the recent ‘Nigerians must go’ protests that broke out in Ghana over the weekend.
This comes as the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), on Tuesday, urged restraint and diplomatic resolution in response to protests in Ghana, where demonstrators are demanding the expulsion of Nigerians over allegations of criminal activities.
A statement issued by the NIDCOM Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, condemned the generalisation of Nigerians as criminals, describing it as unfair and dangerous.
Dabiri-Erewa stressed that while a few individuals may be involved in wrongdoing, the majority of Nigerians living in Ghana are law-abiding and contribute positively to society.
She said: “Nigerians are not criminals. They are good ambassadors wherever they find themselves, while those bad ones should be fished 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 thus appealed for calm and urged Nigerians living in Ghana not to be provoked or go into violence with anyone as the issue is being handled at the diplomatic level.
She advised anyone using inciteful words to desist, both from Nigerians and Ghanaians, as that is capable of escalating the matter.
Dabiri-Erewa also advised Nigerians to disregard the videos circulating that Nigerian’ shops and properties are being destroyed by Ghanaians.
She added: “There is no evidence of that and we must at all costs prevent any reprisal attacks.”
She praised Ghanaian and Nigerian 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 has taken some proactive measures.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that hundreds of Ghanaians took to the streets at the Obra Spot in Accra, calling for the immediate expulsion of Nigerians from the country.
During the ‘Nigerians must go’ protests, several individuals were seen with Ghanaian flags, wielding placards with messages like “End Kidnapping,” “End Prostitution,” and “End Armed Robbery.”
They accused Nigerian nationals of allegedly fueling insecurity, crime, and moral decay in Ghana.
Since the development, there have been concerns about potential deportation and strained relations between the two West African nations.
Recall that a similar occurrence popularly christened “Ghana must go” happened in 1983 when the Nigerian government under President Shehu Shagari issued a directive ordering about two million undocumented immigrants, many of whom were Ghanaians, to leave the country.
This action gave birth to a checked bag called “Ghana must go” into which the Ghanaians packed their belongings.
