The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has reacted to a viral video showing a group of Ghanaians protesting and calling for Nigerians to be deported from Ghana.
In the video, the demonstrators accused some Nigerians of engaging in criminal activities, claiming their actions went against Ghanaian values.
Reacting on Tuesday, July 29, NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, condemned the protest and the generalisation of Nigerians as criminals. She called it unfair and dangerous.
“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,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
She added that Nigeria and Ghana share strong ties and should continue to live peacefully as “brothers” in the spirit of ECOWAS and regional integration.
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Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians in Ghana to remain calm and avoid any form of retaliation, assuring that the issue is being handled through diplomatic channels.
She warned both Nigerians and Ghanaians against the use of inciting language that could inflame tensions.
She also asked Nigerians to disregard videos suggesting that shops and properties belonging to their compatriots in Ghana had been destroyed, stating, “There is no evidence to that and we must at all cost prevent any reprisal attacks.”
The NIDCOM boss praised both Ghanaian and Nigerian High Commissioners for their efforts in managing the situation and revealed that the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs had already reached out to Ghanaian authorities to take proactive steps.