ACCRA – Nigeria High Commission in Accra, Ghana, has described as worrisome deliberate attempt by local media in Ghana to dub Nigerians living in that country as criminals.
High Commissioner to Ghana, Olufemi Michael Abikoye, in a press release Monday evening, condemned in its totality, the ongoing media trial of Nigerians even when then have not been found guilty by a competent court.
Abikoye, cited a situation where five (5) Ghanaians in company of three (3) Nigerians allegedly kidnapped two (2) Canadians but the local media deliberately chose to report as if the crime was committed by only Nigerians, saying it ‘”leave much to be desired on the objectivity of such report.”
Apparently disturbed by the ugly development, the High Commissioner noted that the daily negative media reportage “has caused untold pains, agony as well as apprehension to the teeming law abiding Nigerians living in Ghana.”
According to him, “This set of people comprises astute businessmen, bankers, insurance brokers, teeming students as well as investors that are daily trooping to Ghana.”
He assured that “the High Commission does not and will never condone some misguided youth that have taken to criminality as a way of life regardless of nationality, creed or colour.
“Nigerians or Ghanaians alike stand to be condemned in its totality and punished according to the municipal laws of the land if found guilty.
“It however, becomes terribly worrisome to take the actions of an insignificant few elements from Nigerians to criminalise and to unfairly or unreasonably canonize a brotherly country like Nigeria as a country of criminals who have come to disturb the peace in Ghana.”
The High Commissioner therefore, appealed to the “local traditional media and social media to be highly circumspect in such reportage.
“The ongoing media trial of the criminals which was now being turned media trial of Nigeria as a country, calls for moderation on the part of media practitioners in Ghana,” he added.
Amb Abikoye assured that the High Commission will continue to mobilise all Nigerians living in Ghana to obey the domestic laws.
