Tensions flared in Ghana on Tuesday as a wave of protests erupted across parts of the country, with demonstrators calling for Nigerians to leave Ghana over alleged involvement in criminal activities.
READ ALSO: Protest: 12 Custodial centres declared ‘Red Zones’ in Katsina
In a viral video circulating online, scores of protesters marched through the streets wielding placards with messages such as “Armed robbery and violent attacks must stop,” “Our health at stake due to mass prostitution,” and “Nigerians are kidnapping and using people for rituals.” Others bore inscriptions accusing Nigerians particularly the Igbo ethnic group of taking over local markets and being behind ritual killings and child abductions.
The protests reflect growing anti-immigrant sentiments, with some participants linking the Nigerian community to a rise in crime, including prostitution and kidnapping. Chants from the crowd and banners also questioned who was protecting the rights and safety of Ghanaian citizens.
So far, the Ghanaian government has remained silent on the development, with no official statement issued regarding the allegations or the demands by protesters.
The situation has stirred memories of a similar episode in 1983 when Nigeria’s then-President Shehu Shagari expelled over two million undocumented immigrants mostly Ghanaians from Nigeria. That mass deportation gave rise to the popular phrase and iconic checkered bags known as “Ghana Must Go,” which have since become a symbol of forced migration and strained relations.
