From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Federal Government of Nigeria has promised to engage Ghana to resolve the “Nigeria Must Go,” demonstrations spreading fast in Ghana.
The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who made this known, said, “We will engage them diplomatically.”
Hundreds of Ghanaians took to the streets of Accra on Saturday, July 27, demanding the immediate expulsion of Nigerians from their country.
The protest, which was held at the popular Obra Spot, was sparked by growing frustration among some Ghanaian citizens who blame Nigerian nationals for the increasing levels of crime and social vices in the country.
Displaying placards with bold inscriptions like “Nigerians Must Go”, “End Kidnapping”, “End Prostitution”, “End Armed Robbery”, “End Fraud”, “Who protects the right and freedom of Ghanaians?”, ”End Murders”, “End Ritual”, and “Our Kids Are Missing Because of Igbos”, the protesters insisted that the presence of Nigerians in Ghana was a threat to public safety.
“Nigerians must go because you cannot be in someone’s country and be doing anyhow”, one of the protesters said in a viral video of the protest.
“A time will come when even our children won’t be able to go out to buy something and return safely”, another protester said, while pointing out a recent tragic incident involving a Ghanaian official who died during a robbery in Abuja, Nigeria.
“Just look at what they did to our mother at the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria. They killed her inside her car. Why, Nigerians?” he said.
The protest also reignited tensions surrounding the presence of the Igbo monarchy in Ghana.
Some protesters questioned the legitimacy of the title “Eze Ndigbo” being used by Igbo leaders in the country, specifically calling out Eze Chukwudi Ihenetu, who was crowned “Eze Ndi Igbo Ghana.”
“This message is for him: he should stop calling himself a king in this land ever again”, one protester stated angrily.
Meanwhile, the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, disclosed on Tuesday that Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO NIDCOM, said the blanket outrage against Nigerians living in Ghana and branding them as criminals should be condemned by all.
He quoted her as saying: “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 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 inciting words to desist henceforth both from Nigerians and Ghanaians as that is capable of escalating the matter.
Dabiri-Erewa also advised Nigerians to disregard the videos circulating that Nigerians’ shops and properties are destroyed by Ghanaians.
“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.
