The Chairman, National Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has lamented that about 995 Nigerians have been sent back from Ghana through the land border in the last 18 months, stressing that Nigeria may be forced to take retaliatory measures.
Speaking on Thursday at a forum to receive a Nigerian Professor allegedly exiled in Ghana, Augustine Nwagbara in Abuja, Dabiri-Erewa, stated that while 508 Nigerians were deported within the last six months, 486 were deported in 2018.
Dabiri-Erewa, who condemned the act, cautioned that the continent will suffer should Nigeria decide to treat other nationals in same manner.
“It will not go down well in the continent if Nigeria decides to do what they do to Nigerians over there.
“We demand respect. If a Nigerian commits a crime, you should deal with that particular person rather than generalize issues by punishing those who are innocent of the crime”, she stated.
She stated that with the signing of African Free Trade Agreement (AFTA), there is need for African countries to be united and work towards promoting bilateral relations.
In his response, Nwagbara stated that he was yet to receive a letter of dismissal from Ghanaian government, stressing that the video circulating of his alleged dismissal, was doctored. He noted that the entire scenario was to promote xenophobia mainly against Nigerians.
He commended the intervention of the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, saying that without their timely intervention, he would have been a dead person.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
