Some new apartments built at the residence of the Nigerian High Commissioner in Ghana’s capital city Accra, have been demolished by bulldozers.
The apartments have been constructed to house staff and visiting diplomats to the High Commission.
But they have been pulled down under the supervision of gun wielding security officials.
Embassy officials say the men threatened to shoot if they interfered in their operations.
According to the head of security at the High Commission Emmanuel Kabutey the leader of the team that came to demolish the building told them they had the backing of National Security and that “if any of us try, he will clear us off.”
“When the police came, they did not come to us or any other person but rather went straight to the man [leader of the armed men] they had a friendly chat, exchanged numbers with him and allowed him to go” he told Accra based Joy FM.
The Acting High Commissioner who was present when the incident happened is said to be terrified. The commissioner subsequently went into hiding.
The building was being constructed to house staff and visiting diplomats to the High Commission.
Nigeria outraged
Foreign Affairs Minister of Nigeria, GeoffreyOnyeama said in statement that Nigeria “strongly condemn two outrageous criminal attacks in Accra, Ghana, on a residential building in our diplomatic premises by unknown persons in which a bulldozer was used to demolish the building.”
We are engaging the Ghanaian Government and demand urgent action to find the perpetrators and provide adequate protection for Nigerians and their property in Ghana. #StayHomeSaveLives #COVID19 @NigeriaGov @DigiCommsNG @GhanaMFA
— Geoffrey Onyeama (@GeoffreyOnyeama) June 21, 2020
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has said it has started investigating the demolition of the structures.
The Ministry said the investigation is to “unravel the facts of the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.”
Security at the said facility has been intensified, according to the Ministry to prevent any future demolition.
“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration that unidentified individuals had allegedly breached the premises of the Nigeria High Commission in Accra and demolished the property under construction around 10:30 pm on Friday, 19th June, 2020.”
“The Ministry views with concern this development which is a breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR, 1961).
Accordingly, investigations are ongoing to unravel the facts of the matter and bring the perpetrators to book. Meanwhile, the government of Ghana has beefed up security at the said facility and the situation is under control.”
Source: Africafeeds.com
