Hon. Yakub condems invasion and demolition of Nigeria diplomatic building in Accra

The Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and member representing Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency of Adamawa State, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, Saturday condemned the invasion and demolition of the Diplomatic premises of Nigeria in Ghana.
According to a statement by Nkem Anyata-Lafia, Special Adviser to Hon. member on Media and Public Affairs, a high- capacity bulldozer was deployed by some unnamed Ghanaian nationals to invade the Diplomatic Premises of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Accra, Ghana.
The Statement reads in part: “From eye- witness accounts, the heavy- duty bulldozer arrived the Diplomatic Premises at very late hours of the night, broke through the gate of the premises, and proceeded on a demolition spree of a set of 4 units of nearly- completed 4-bedroom block of flats, which were said to be awaiting the occupation of some members of the Nigeria Diplomatic Mission in Accra.
“While the demolition exercise lasted, several frantic efforts were said to have been made by members of the Nigeria Mission to report what was ongoing to both the Ghana Police Service and their Foreign Affairs Ministry to no avail.
It was learnt that when the police finally arrived the scene of the incident, all they had merely come to do was to shake hands with those they had been called upon to rein-in the audacity with which they were violating the rights of members of a diplomatic mission in their country.
“After due consultations with stakeholders the Committee gathered that the present Nigeria Mission in Accra, Ghana, constitutes a 4-hectar piece of land that was officially allocated to Nigeria as part of the agreement to situate the mission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It was also learnt that during the 60s, in furtherance of the charter, the United Nations sought to promote global co- operation and friendship among peoples through the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations; a global treaty that was ratified by both Ghana and Nigeria.
Further inquiries revealed that the Nigerian Mission possesses all necessary legal titles and certifications, including Site Plans, Payment Receipts and Allocation Papers, from the Ghanaian authorities in respect of the land.
“Consequently, based on the gross violations of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations Ghanaian nationals, alongside their colluding allies, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs wishes to state as follows:
“That we condemn in totality that act of trespass committed against the Nigeria Mission premises in Accra. We view it for what it is, an invasion of the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in foreign jurisdictions.
This violation by the Ghanaian nationals and their colluding authorities constitutes a serious breach of the Vienna Convention and has the capacity to cause a diplomatic row and escalate tension between our country and Ghana.
“Several articles were violated. For instance, Article 1(i) of that Convention, specifically, recognises, among other facts, that the Nigerian High Commission in Accra, Ghana, is the premises of the Nigerian State.
“The premises of the mission are the buildings or parts of the building and the land ancillary, thereto, irrespective of ownership,used for the purposes of the mission, including the residence of the head of the mission ( in this case ,the High Commissioner)”.
Again, Article 22(1) of the same Convention seems to firmly corroborate the above and accentuates its importance when it further declares:” The premises of the mission shall be inviolable. The agents of the receiving State ( in this case Ghana) may not enter them, except with the consent of the head of the mission ( in this case,the Nigera’ s High Commissioner to Ghana)”.
As a Parliament, we stand resolute to do everything within our powers to review, re-appraise and re-examine the relationship of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Ghana.
“We shall, also,employ and deploy all legislative means within our disposal, including exploring and invoking all necessary rules, regulations and instruments that guide our common membership in other Parliaments, to compel the Republic of Ghana to answer for this act of gross violation and abuse of the immunities of the Nigeria mission and its staff.
The Committee also called on all peoples and nations of goodwill accros the globe to condemn that act of aggression by the Republic of Ghana against the Federal Republic of Nigeria on its soil.
The lawmaker also called for support in every campaign they choose to undertake in order to make Ghana account for its violation of the international code of friendship against Nigeria.