Individual Escalating Ghana-Nigeria Crisis 'Arrested'
- Public outrage escalated in parts of Ghana recently as demonstrators marched through city streets, demanding the removal of Nigerians
- The protest, fueled by claims of rising crime linked to foreigners, particularly Nigerians, has ignited tension between the two countries
- Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has now waded in
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria.
Accra, Ghana - Following a 'Nigerians Must Go' protest in Ghana, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has said that "the person escalating this crisis has been arrested".
Dabiri-Erewa made this claim via her verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday night, July 29.
Source: TikTok
Legit.ng had reported how a group of Ghanaians recently staged a protest in Accra, Ghana’s capital, demanding the expulsion of Nigerians from the country over alleged involvement in criminal and immoral activities.
The viral protest's video, which NiDCOM has now described as "disturbing", was also shared on X by Nigerian activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju.
In the footage, scores of protesters marched with placards accusing Nigerians of encouraging crime and endangering public safety. The protesters accused Nigerians of mass streetwalking, kidnapping, ritualism, and violent attacks, among others.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: 'Our health at stake due to mass streetwalking,' 'Nigerians are kidnapping and using people for rituals,' and 'Armed robbery and violent attacks must stop.'
One of the protesters who spoke in the video accused Nigerians living in Ghana of being disrespectful, saying that it is wrong to behave as one wishes in a country that is not one’s own.
She said:
“Nigerians must go because you can’t be in someone’s country and be doing anyhow.”
Ghana outrage: Abike Dabiri urges calm
Providing more information on Tuesday night, July 29, after NiDCOM condemned the anti-Nigeria protest in Ghana, Abike Dabiri disclosed that a major arrest has been made, adding that "Ghana’s IGP has also made a broadcast condemning the hostile videos."
The Nigerian government official also confirmed ongoing "high-level diplomatic moves" led by Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the minister of state for foreign affairs, to tame the situation.
Source: Twitter
She tweeted:
"Reiterating our call for Nigerians in Ghana to remain calm .Very wrong to generalise a whole country. The person escalating this crises (sic) has been arrested and Ghana’s IGP has also made a broadcast condemning the hostile videos. Minister of State Foreign Affairs Amb Bianca Ojukwu has already made high level diplomatic moves."
Ghana: Senator calls for unity
Meanwhile, the chairman of the senate committee on diaspora and non-governmental organisations, Senator Aniekan Bassey, has strongly condemned the recent protest in Ghana targeting Nigerians, describing it as “deeply disturbing and contrary to the spirit of African brotherhood.”
Senator Bassey, a member of the 6th Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, in a statement on Tuesday, July 29, called on both Nigeria and Ghana to maintain the long-standing bond of friendship, mutual respect, and regional cooperation that binds the two nations.
The federal lawmaker's reaction was contained in a statement e-signed by the clerk to the senate committee on diaspora and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the national assembly.
He said:
“We must keep the flame of brotherhood alive. Nigeria and Ghana, as key members of ECOWAS, should be at the forefront of promoting peace, unity, and regional integration as enshrined in the ECOWAS charter."
Senator Bassey commended the intervention of Dabiri-Erewa and Bianca Ojukwu.
He urged Nigerians living in Ghana to remain law-abiding and continue to toe the path of peace and harmony.
Nigerian artist killed in Ghana
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a rising Nigerian artist, simply identified as Destiny, was tragically killed in Ghana after allegedly being beaten to death by fellow Nigerians.
The heartbreaking incident occurred in the Volta Region of Ghana, where Destiny, a 19-year-old from Edo state, had relocated in pursuit of his education and music dreams.
It was gathered that the Afrobeats singer's trip and accommodation in Ghana were facilitated by a man he referred to as his 'street brother'.
Source: Legit.ng
