We’re All Not Criminals—Nigerians Cry

A Nigerian group calling itself Economic Fighters League has expressed dismay on what they described as the continuous branding of Nigerians as criminals.

According to the group, “if some are found breaking the law, they must be dealt with through the due process of the law, rather than used as the yardstick for judging everyone from Nigeria.”

This was indicated in a statement signed and issued on Monday, June 17, by Fighter General Hardi Yakubu.

Nigerian nationals since August last year, have been linked to five major kidnapping cases in the country.

In the recent kidnapping case of the two Canadian girls, three Nigerians and five Ghanaians were arrested at Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

Whiles condemning the act, the group said, “this does not in any way make all Nigerians criminals.”

Below is the full statement:

STOP CRIMINALISING NIGERIANS AND OTHER AFRICAN NATIONALS

We have observed with dismay the continuous criminalisation of our fellow Africans from Nigeria and other countries. This has come about as a result of some Nigerian nationals suspected to be involved in criminal activities. But this does not in any way make all Nigerians criminals. If some are found breaking the law, they must be dealt with through the due process of the law, rather than used as the yardstick for judging everyone from Nigeria.

The penchant to label crime this way is the root of the heinous Afrophobic attacks that have claimed the lives of many Africans in South Africa. In our press release of 21st April 2019, we had cause to condemn these attacks and call for measures against South Africa if nothing was done to curb them. In the same light, we condemn attempts by the police and media to reduce the crimes of robbery, kidnapping and others to the presence of Nigerians in Ghana.

It is important to reiterate our position that no African should be seen as a foreigner in Ghana or anywhere in Africa for that matter. For we are all first Africans before being Ghanaians or Nigerians. It is the preservation of colonially-imposed borders without regard to our larger Africanness that has caused the division and rancour in our midst. We must emancipate ourselves from this and unite our forces for prosperity.

This nation was founded on the ideals of the African personality and Pan-African solidarity. We must not betray this foundation.

Revolutionary regards

Hardi Yakubu Fighter-General

17th June, 2019