Nigeria-Ghana impasse: Group issues 72 hour ultimatum for perpetrators to be brought to book

Following the demolition of Nigeria’s embassy in Accra, Ghana, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), has issued a 72 hour ultimatum to Ghanaian government to bring the perpetrators to book.

The youth group condemned the demolition of Nigeria’s diplomatic house by a businessman of Ghana origin who also threatened to shoot Nigeria’s Ambassador and Nigerians.

In a statement issued and signed by the President, Comrade Solomon Adodo and Secretary, Suleiman Musa, the group recalled incidences where businesses belonging to Nigerians in Ghana have recurrently been attacked.

The protest letter which was addressed to the Ghanaian Ambassador in Nigeria and copied to President Muhammadu Buhari, the head of Ecowas Commission and heads of security agencies implored Ghanaian government to demonstrate that the demolition was not a State conspiracy.

“We write to register our keen interest in the unfortunate and objectionable “attack” at the Nigerian House in Accra on Friday, June 19, 2020 when a certain “Businessman” who chose to not only bulldoze part of the Nigerian High Commission building, but threatened to shoot the Nigerian High Commissioner and other Members of the Nigerian Missions in Ghana, in flagrant breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.

“This is sequel to prior incidences in your country where reports has it that Nigerian businesses have been attacked in similar manner.

“There was little or no decisive step taken to bring any culprit to book, nor cogent action to forestall further occurrence.

“You may recall that in November 2019, over 70 shops owned by only Nigerians were shut by non-state agents acting with unbridled impunity.

“These organized group of Traders even stages various smear campaigns against Nigeria and Nigerian products, calling on your citizens to boycott Nigerian goods and services, yet security agencies in your country tolerated same and nothing has been done to correct this ill till date.

“We have noted the statement condemning the act and the accompanying apology to the Nigerian Government from the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with relief, but insist that that is not enough.

“Your Excellency, while the clandestine attack at the Nigerian House at night was done overtly with credible eyewitnesses, branded earthmoving equipment, state security escort with the “sacred cow” of a businessman personally present to command the operation and even threatening to shoot the representative of President Muhammadu Buhari to your country, perpetrators of such heinous breach have been described as “unidentified”, warranting a wanton investigation that we suspect may snowball into a grand cover up for the perpetrators – already known to the public and moving about Accra freely with arrogance and flagrant impunity.

“We recognize that Nigeria and Ghana are not just neighbours but we are blood!

“The ties that bind both countries transcend beyond regional integration or diplomatic relations, and as such, we find such developments disenchanting especially if the government will remain complacent and allow a ‘private citizen’ to jeopardize the efforts of the Ghanaian nation through the leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo in building a sound diplomatic reputation, wooing economic incentives to the country most recently with the Headquarters of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area – AfCFTA in Ghana.

“Ghana must not sacrifice this sterling reputation on the altar of covering up an “arrogant sacred cow”.

As National Youth Council of Nigeria submits, we hereby formally demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of the said perpetrator, his cohorts and other accomplices in the security architecture.”

They urged Ghanaian government to protect
Nigerian properties, businesses and lives in Ghana.

“It should be further noted that anything to the contrary will be seen as a crafty ploy for cover up and for which we shall occupy the premises of the Ghanaian High Commission on expiration of our notice”, the statement concluded.