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| Abike Dabiri-Erewa |
Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa has described as uncalled for, the recent attacks on Nigerian traders in Ghana.
Dabiri-Erewa, who condemned the renewed attacks, also appeal for calm from both sides while imploring the law enforcement agencies to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians from being attacked pending the resolution of the matter.
In a statement by the commission’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the cases of attacks on Nigerian shops and traders by Ghanaians was quite unfortunate.
She said the attacks came when xenophobic attacks was becoming unpopular and thought such attacks had been put to the dustbin of history following interventions of Nigerian and Ghanaian leaders.
The NIDCOM boss, however, appealed to Nigerians in Ghana, especially the shop owners, not to take laws into their hands by trying to revenge but to remain calm and allow law enforcement agents to deal with the situation.
On Monday, there were reported cases of clashes between Ghanaian and Nigerian traders, which resulted into the arrest of six and others sustained injury.
It was alleged that the fight followed the closure of shops belonging to some Nigerian traders at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Ghana.
There has been tension between Ghanaian and Nigerian traders in recent time when over 600 shops belonging to Nigerian traders in Kumasi and other areas were shut this year allegedly by the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).
Ghanaian traders feel foreigners, particularly Nigerians, Chinese and Lebanese have taken over their retail business.
