The Foreign Affairs Ministry has begun investigations into the demolition of a structure belonging to the Nigeria High Commission in Ghana.
The Ministry said investigations into circumstances under which the demolition occurred are ongoing 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.
“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.”
Armed men allegedly invaded the residence and pulled down parts of a building under construction on the compound, allegedly belonging to the Nigeria High Commission, with a bulldozer.
The Ministry further assured that the government will not relent on its efforts to “guarantee the safety of Members of the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana”
The demolition has also been condemned by Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and Foreign Affairs Minister for Nigeria, Geoffrey Onyeama.
“We 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,” Mr. Onyeama tweeted.