ACCRA, Ghana (BN24) — Tensions escalated in parts of Ghana on Tuesday as groups of protesters took to the streets demanding the expulsion of Nigerians, accusing them of driving up crime and dominating local economic sectors.
Videos widely shared on social media showed demonstrators holding placards with inflammatory slogans, including accusations of kidnapping, ritual killings, and widespread prostitution allegedly linked to Nigerian nationals. Some signs claimed Nigerians were behind the disappearance of children and rising violence in several Ghanaian communities.
One woman, shouting into a megaphone in a protest video, said, “Nigerians must go because you can’t be in someone’s country and be doing anyhow.” Another protester, referring to Nigeria’s Igbo ethnic group, said, “They even have an Igbo king in Ghana. They have hijacked our lands. It is just a matter of time; we will conquer them and take over our country.”
Protesters also held up an image of a man they alleged had been killed by a Nigerian in the capital, Accra, though no independent confirmation of the incident was available at the time of reporting.
The Ghanaian government has not yet issued an official response to the protests or addressed the status of Nigerian nationals residing in the country. The Nigerian government had also made no public statement as of press time.
The unrest raises concerns of a diplomatic rift between the two West African neighbors, whose history includes a reversal of similar tensions. In 1983, Nigerian President Shehu Shagari ordered the mass expulsion of nearly two million undocumented immigrants mostly Ghanaians—during an economic downturn, a move widely remembered under the phrase “Ghana Must Go.”
At the time, Shagari justified the decision, saying, “If you break a law, then you have to pay for it. Illegal immigrants, under normal circumstances, should not be given any notice whatsoever.”
Tuesday’s protest represents one of the most overt public backlashes against Nigerian immigrants in Ghana in recent memory and has reignited debates around immigration policy, regional cooperation, and the rise of xenophobic rhetoric in West Africa.
Authorities have not confirmed any arrests or incidents of violence connected to the demonstrations. However, the situation remains volatile, with community leaders and regional observers urging calm amid fears the unrest could escalate further.
