Nigerian High Commissioner: The Ghanaian is too civilised to be involved in terrorism

The Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ademola Oluseyi Onafookan says he does not foresee the emergence of militant groups such as Nigeria’s Boko Haram or Somalia’s al-Shabab in Ghana.

According to Ambassador Onafookan, Ghanaians are generally calm, civilised, and law abiding and therefore not predisposed to violence.

Speaking Tuesday on “Inside Afrika” – a Pan-African Development programme on Radio Universe, the Nigerian High Commissioner was of the view that the level of maturity displayed by Ghanaians before, during and after the Election petition hearing, is enough indication that Ghanaians would not involve themselves in violence and terrorist attacks.

At least 62 people were killed at the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, when suspected terrorists seized the place last Saturday. The dead included Ghana’s intellectual and former Chairman of the Council of State, Prof. Kofi Awoonor. His son Afesti however, survived gunshot wounds.

“It takes a mad group of people to come out of nowhere and create problems for everybody,” Ambassador Onafookan told Yaw Acheampong, host of the programme.

The Nigerian High Commissioner however noted that no country could be completely immuned from terrorists’ attacks because, even in the case of Boko Haram in Nigeria and Al Shabab in Kenya, some of the perpetrators were foreigners.

He also expressed his condolences to all the affected families and paid tribute to the late Professor Awoonor.