Gbenro Adesina
The Chairman/CEO of The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has explained the circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention of 50 Nigerians in Ghana, pointing out that the Commission would not relent in demanding fair treatment of Nigerians around the world.
Reacting to a story “Detention of Nigerians in Ghana Prison”, published by Sahara Reporters, Dabiri-Erewa explained that about a month ago, the Nigerian mission in Ghana got a call on the arrest of six Nigerians, who were caught at Aflao border trying to enter Ghana.
According to her, the High Commission dispatched Nigerian consular team to Aflao for intervention, but on getting there, it was discovered that about 30 more Nigerians, who were arrested for also trying to enter Ghana through illegal routes due to the border closure have been arrested and about to be prosecuted in the law court.
“The consular team appealed to the immigration officials not to charge the apprehended Nigerians to court. The officials agreed and allowed the team to get their details to secure approval from the appropriate authorities for them to be evacuated with stranded Nigerians, as the Ghanaian immigration would not permit them to proceed into Ghana because of the border closure. There are in total about 50 Nigerians detained by the Ghanaian Immigration authorities because some were moved away from Aflao and kept somewhere else”, Dabiri-Erewa stated.
She concluded, “The Consular team from the Nigerian mission have paid the detained Nigerians consular visits twice, and have secured their release. However, as instructed by the NCDC they need to do their COVID 19 tests before returning to Nigeria. As soon as this is done they will return with the next set of returnees. However, it should be noted that 11 of the detainees however escaped according to Ghanaian immigration”.
