NIDCOM reacts to anti-Nigerians protests in Ghana

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has condemned protest by some Ghanaians calling for deportation of Nigerians back to Nigeria for allegedly not conforming with the norms of Ghana.

The Ghanaians were shown in a viral video on social media armed with placards calling for deportation of Nigerians.

Among others, the Ghanaians accused Nigerians of engaging in mass prostitution and ritual killings in their country.

Some of the placards they carried as seen in the viral video of their protests carried inscriptions like “Our health at stake due to mass prostitution; “Our kids are getting missing because of Igbos,” “Who protects the right and freedom of Ghanaians; “Armed robbery and violent attacks must stop; “Nigerians are kidnapping and using people for rituals; among others.

The protesters also displayed a picture of a man who was allegedly killed by a Nigerian in the Accra area of the country.

However, NIDCOM, in a statement by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, its Chairman/CEO, condemned what it called an attempt to brand all Nigerians living in Ghana as criminals.

NIDCOM, in the statement said contrary to the claims of the protesters, Nigerians are not criminals.

Dabiri-Erewa added that the protesters did not take the age-long relationship between Ghana and Nigeria into consideration in the protest.

” Nigerians are not criminals. They are good ambassadors wherever they find themselves while those bad ones should be fished out to face necessary sanctions”

“Ghana and Nigeria are like siamese twins. They are brothers and 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 by the Minister of State Foreign Affairs , Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu

She advised anyone using inciteful words, on both sides , to desist henceforth as such statements are capable of escalating the matter.

Dabiri-Erewa also advised Nigerians to disregard the videos circulating that Nigerians’ shops and properties are being destroyed by Ghanaians. “There is no evidence to that and we must at all cost try to prevent any reprisal attacks”.

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 .