The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on Wednesday condemned the alleged call for the deportation of Nigerians in Ghana.
NiDCOM condemned the call in a statement signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols on behalf of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the commission’s Chairman/CEO.
NiDCOM said its attention had been drawn to a disturbing video on social media showing a protest by some Ghanaians calling on the authority to send Nigerians back to Nigeria on the allegation that their behaviours and attitudes were not in conformity with the norms of Ghana.
Dabiri-Erewa in the statement said the blanket outrage against Nigerians living in Ghana and branding them as criminals should be condemned by all.
“Nigerians are not criminals. They are good ambassadors wherever they find themselves while those bad ones should be fished out to face necessary sanctions,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
“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 Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, the Minister of State Foreign Affairs.
Dabiri-Erewa advised anyone using inciteful words on both sides to desist henceforth as such statements are capable of escalating the matter.
She also advised Nigerians to disregard the videos circulating that Ghanaians are destroying shops and properties belonging to Nigerians.
“There is no evidence to that and we must at all cost try to prevent any reprisal attacks,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
She praised Ghanaian and Nigeria High Commissioners for their efforts to control the situation, adding that Nigeria’s Minister of State, Foreign Affairs has also been in touch with Ghanaian authorities and had taken some pro-active measures.
