Nigerian lawmakers have demanded retaliation against Ghana for the destruction of several buildings belonging to the Nigerian Mission in Accra.
According to the House of Representatives, there must be retaliation from the Nigerian foreign mission against Ghana because attack on Nigerians and their assets in African countries was becoming a reoccurring trend.
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Speaking at the special hearing regarding the matter in which the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama was summoned to the House, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila said showing diplomatic maturity by demanding an apology will not solve the issue.
Gbajabiamila decried the attack against Nigerians and their assets by African countries saying Nigeria has looked the other way too many times in the guise of brotherhood.
“Reciprocity is a legitimate instrument in foreign policy. And we can employ it, because if such had happened here in Nigeria, the individual will first approach the court to enforce his rights, and I want to believe that Ghana is a democratic country where laws apply, but this person didn’t use the law to do this. So it’s purely a predetermined attack on the Nigerian state
“In terms of visibility and otherwise of the property, I want to say that it is trite to understand that all countries exist through their embassies in other countries.
“So for that reason, Nigeria was attacked by Ghana, because if anything happens in Ghana, it’s the Nigerian high commission that Nigerians will run to and get protection due to the diplomatic immunity that it enjoys.
”Others may say that this is a sibling rivalry that is going on between Nigeria and Ghana, and we did nothing, but we must take a stand, because this has gone beyond court processes as the minister said.
“This diminishes Nigeria as a state because it’s not a land dispute between Nigeria and any individual, but a diplomatic dispute between Nigeria and Ghana, which should be handled accordingly, because the person who did this did it under the colour of their law.
“South Africa did it, we kept quiet; Ghana has done it, and still, we are not doing anything, but we want to show diplomatic maturity of asking for apology and claim damages. If this had happened to the British high commission in Ghana, all hell would have been let loose. I’m telling you this as a matter of fact.”
Armed men had demolished several buildings within the Nigerian mission compound in Accra on Sunday sparking a diplomatic row between both countries.
Although the Ghanaian government issued an official apology, Nigerians have demanded for deterrents against Ghana for the attack on its embassy.
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