Breaking: Demolition of Nigeria house, NYCN gives Ghanaian 72 hrs to arrest, prosecute perpetrators

By Gambo Jagindi

June 24, 2020

Breaking: Demolition of Nigeria house, NYCN gives Ghanaian 72 hrs to arrest,prosecute perpetrators

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has given Ghanaian government 72 hours to fish out and take decisive action against those behind the demolition of Nigerian house in Ghana

The council made the demand in a letter addressed to the Ghanaian High Commissioner in Abuja and copied Aluta News on Wednesday

The letter,jointly signed by Comrade Solomon Adodo, President of NYCN and Suleiman Musa Secretary of the council also copied President Muhammad Buhari, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and President of ECOWAS Commission.

The council also copied Nigerian Minister of Foreign affairs and all the service chiefs as well as heads of securities.

NYCN wrote:” We write to register our keen interest in the unfortunate and objectionable “attack” at the Nigerian House in Accra on Friday, June 19, 2020.

“A certain “Businessman” who chose to not only bulldoze part of the Nigerian High Commission building, but also threatened to shoot the Nigerian High Commissioner and other members of the Nigerian Mission 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 have it that Nigerian businesses have been attacked in similar manner and little or no decisive step is taken to bring any culprit to book, nor cogent action taken 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 groups of traders even staged 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 were present to command the operation.

“The said business man even threatened to shoot the representative of President Muhammadu Buhari to your country.

“In all this,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.

“These perpetrators are 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! while the ties that bind both countries transcend beyond regional integration or diplomatic relations.

“As such, we find such development disheartening, 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.

“We believe that in building a sound diplomatic reputation, wooing economic incentives to the country and 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 submit, we hereby formally demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of the said perpetrator, his cohorts and other accomplices in the security architecture.

“Cogent steps must be taken to protect Nigerian properties, businesses and lives in Ghana, within 72-hours effective from day of receipt of this Letter.

“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.

“While hoping for a timely resolution of this matter to foster a more respectful bilateral relation between Ghana and Nigeria, we extend our best regards.