Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has visited Ghana in response to rising tensions following a protest by Ghanaians demanding the deportation of Nigerians over allegations of crime and prostitution.
The visit comes after a viral video showed demonstrators carrying placards with inflammatory messages such as “Nigeria must go” and “Our children are going missing because of the Igbos.”
During a joint press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, Odumegwu-Ojukwu called for calm and assured both nations were cooperating to address the issues.
“Since I arrived, I haven’t seen people burning tyres in the streets or carrying placards everywhere calling for Nigerians to be deported,” she said, downplaying fears of widespread unrest.
She acknowledged that the video had created anxiety and said her visit aimed to assess the situation firsthand.
The minister insisted there were no large-scale demonstrations at the time of her arrival, praising Ghana’s government for managing the situation responsibly.
“There’s no cause for alarm, they are handling the situation effectively, and we will continue engaging stakeholders,” she added.
The Nigerian delegation also met with protest organisers in an effort to de-escalate growing hostilities.
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Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Ablakwa, confirmed that his office was already working with Nigerian community leaders to resolve concerns.
“The Ghanaian government will ensure that everyone in the country, citizens and non-citizens, is protected,” he said.
The protest, though limited in scope, has reignited tensions between the two West African neighbours, particularly over issues of immigration and crime.
Critics have urged both governments to address the root causes of the hostility rather than engage in public diplomacy alone.
Observers note that such flashpoints can quickly spiral if not properly managed at both diplomatic and grassroots levels.
With millions of Nigerians living in Ghana, the stakes for regional stability remain high.
