Augustine Nwagbara, a professor from the University of Lagos, has narrated his heartbreaking experience with Ghanaian authorities through the university where he served and security agencies.
Speaking during his courtesy visit to Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), in Abuja, Nwagbar said the video of him that went viral on the social media where he was seen inciting Nigerians against Ghanaians was just to blackmail him.
“They said I was sacked, then dismissed, which was another wrong word to use, as you cannot dismiss somebody on sabbatical in your country,” he said, adding that he was subjected to a series of interrogations by the University of Education, Winniba in Ghana.
“As I speak with you, I have not received any letter of sack or dismissal, whereas, various factions of the letters are already in circulation in Ghana and on social media.
Nwagbara thanked Olufemi Abikoye, the Nigerian High Commissioner in Ghana, who promptly intervened in the matter, saying “But for him, I probably would have been a dead man,” he added.
Nwagbara said the video of him addressing an informal meeting of Nigerians living in Ghana and insulting the Ghanaian government was doctored.
The professor, who was in Ghana on a one-year sabbatical since December 2018, said the video was released by a journalist working with a Ghanaian private TV station.
Speaking Abike Dabiri-Erewa said, “We are proud of you as one of our best brains. You are an asset to your country. Not surprising, you’ve received offers from other Universities to complete your sabbatical before returning to the University of Lagos.”
In a statement released by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NIDCOM’s head of media, Dabiri-Erewa was quoted her to have said, “Between January and June 2019, 509 Nigerians were forcefully deported while 527 Nigerians got deported in 2018”
“We are not going to tolerate any country treating Nigerians shabbily.
