Ghanaians Revive “Nigerians Must Go” Protests As Tensions Escalate Over Alleged Crimes And Economic Rivalries

 

Growing anxiety has gripped Nigerians living in Ghana following the resurgence of protests demanding their expulsion from the country. The agitation, which has sparked diplomatic concerns, is reminiscent of historic tensions between the two West African giants.

Reports indicate that dozens of Ghanaians, many of them wearing red shirts and waving national flags, marched through parts of Accra and other towns under the banner “Nigerians Must Go.” Placards carried by protesters accused Nigerians of fueling crime, prostitution, kidnappings, and ritual killings. Some demonstrators claimed Nigerians were taking over local businesses and land, with one woman insisting on video, “Nigerians must go because you cannot be in someone’s country and behave anyhow.”

Chants of anger were directed particularly at Igbo communities after the reemergence of a decade-old interview by businessman Chukwudi Ihenetu. The Nigerian, who had declared himself “Eze Ndi Igbo” in Ghana during a 2013 interview, revealed grand plans for an Igbo Village complete with a palace, markets, guest houses, and streets named after Nigerian leaders. Although Ihenetu later apologized and clarified that he abandoned the idea years ago, the video’s resurfacing reignited suspicion and resentment.

Government authorities in Ghana confirmed meeting Ihenetu after public outcry. Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed that Ihenetu apologized for the comments and assured he never purchased land for the project. A video apology was also circulated in which Ihenetu explained, “We have no single land we want to develop as an Igbo village. That vision was abandoned long ago.”

Despite those clarifications, protests escalated. Nigerian residents in Ghana allege targeted victimization, including exorbitant rents, selective enforcement of business laws, and outright hostility from landlords and traders. One viral video shared on X (formerly Twitter) showed Ghanaian enforcement officers forcibly shutting a Nigerian-owned shop. The distressed shop owner, who claimed to hold a Ghanaian passport, pleaded that he was a legal resident. His protests were dismissed by officials who declared, “Enforcement is not about legal or illegal status. It is about Nigerians doing business in Ghana.”

The videos spread widely online, drawing mixed reactions. Some social media users condemned the actions as xenophobic, while others pointed out parallels with the 1983 “Ghana Must Go” saga in Nigeria, when thousands of Ghanaians were expelled. A user identified as @THE_CRAFT3R wrote, “Once upon a time it was Nigerians chasing Ghanaians out of Naija. Today it is Ghanaians chasing Nigerians.”

Several commentators argued that jealousy rather than genuine concern drives the hostility. Others reminded Ghanaians that Nigerian communities historically embraced Ghanaian migrants, who once thrived as business owners in Nigeria without facing harassment. “When I was a child, the biggest shoe vendor, rice importer, and generator merchant in my city were all Ghanaians. No one saw them as outsiders,” one user wrote.

Critics also highlighted inconsistencies in the protests, noting that while Nigerians are being targeted, Ghanaians remain relatively tolerant of Chinese, Lebanese, and Indian communities who control large retail and mining sectors. “They even allow foreigners to pollute rivers and dominate shops without resistance, yet Nigerians are singled out,” one X user argued.

The Ghanaian government has tried to calm tensions. President John Mahama reassured Nigerian leaders that the protests were isolated and not reflective of national policy. Hosting Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in Accra, Mahama emphasized Ghana’s commitment to regional solidarity under ECOWAS treaties. “Tell President Tinubu not to lose sleep. Nigeria and Ghana are brothers with a shared history. We won’t allow anything to divide us,” Mahama said.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, visiting Accra as a special envoy, acknowledged the Ghanaian government’s swift response to protests but urged caution against circulating content that could inflame hostility. “We are here on a fact-finding mission. Since arriving, I have not seen the chaos portrayed in viral videos. Things are calm, and this is due to your government’s intervention,” she remarked.

However, within weeks of those assurances, new incidents surfaced. Videos of Nigerians’ businesses being forcibly shut and community members being harassed rekindled fears. Nigerian associations in Ghana are now demanding stronger protection from authorities and warning of potential violence if measures are not taken.

The protests coincide with heightened public scrutiny of crimes allegedly linked to Nigerians. A Ghanaian court recently sentenced three Nigerian nationals to a combined 96 years in prison for car theft in Kumasi. In a separate ruling earlier this year, a Nigerian woman received a 20-year jail term for human trafficking. Ghana’s Immigration Service also arrested 50 Nigerians in July on suspicion of internet fraud and trafficking.

Although such cases involve a fraction of Nigerians living in Ghana, they are increasingly used by protesters to justify calls for mass expulsion. Analysts warn that isolating crimes committed by individuals to condemn an entire nationality risks fueling unnecessary division in a region already grappling with economic and security challenges.

Both countries share a long and complicated history of migration and rivalry. Nigeria’s oil-rich economy once attracted tens of thousands of Ghanaians, culminating in the infamous 1983 expulsion order under President Shehu Shagari. That episode gave rise to the phrase “Ghana Must Go,” still etched into West African memory. Today, the tables appear to have turned, with Ghanaians chanting a similar slogan against Nigerians.

Observers caution that rekindling old hostilities undermines the spirit of regional integration championed by ECOWAS. They argue that instead of mutual suspicion, both nations should harness their cultural and economic ties to build stronger cooperation.

One Nigerian resident captured the mood on social media, writing, “Honestly this hurts because Nigerians and Ghanaians are too connected by love, work, and history to let division win. We need unity, not fear.”

For now, neither Abuja nor Accra has reacted publicly to the latest viral videos of shops being sealed. Yet with diplomatic pressure mounting, the next steps from both governments will determine whether the situation cools or slides into deeper mistrust.