A wave of anti-Nigerian sentiment is sweeping through parts of Ghana, with protesters demanding that Nigerians leave the country. They cite allegations of widespread prostitution, ritual killings, and economic encroachment as reasons for their outcry. A viral video from Tuesday shows numerous protesters wielding placards with pointed messages such as “Nigerians are kidnapping and using people for rituals” and “Our health at stake due to mass prostitution.”
The protests evoke a strong sense of déjà vu, mirroring the “Ghana Must Go” incident of 1983, when Nigeria expelled millions of undocumented immigrants, many of whom were Ghanaians. Now, the tables appear to have turned, as some Ghanaians express deep-seated grievances against Nigerian residents.
In the video, a woman in her mid-30s passionately declared, “Nigerians must go because you can’t be in someone’s country and be doing anyhow. Nigerians must go.” Another protester claimed that Nigerians have “taken over our major markets” and are “perpetrating evil” across the country, even alleging the presence of an “Igbo king in Ghana.”
As of the time of filing this report, the Ghanaian government has yet to comment on the situation or the potential plight of Nigerians should they be forced to return to their home country, regardless of their status.
