The Newly accredited Nigerian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone Chief Godson Echegile has said in Freetown that Nigeria does not support criminals.
In an exclusive interview with Awoko, the High Commissioner explained that, the Nigerian High Commission shall endeavour to dissuade the involvement of Nigerians in alleged criminal activities.
“We held an interactive session with them (Nigerians) in the last one week on the need to be guided by the law of the land (Sierra Leone) as certainly Nigeria will not support any criminal and we will try to educate those who are ready to live decently within the law of the land”
The High Commissioner stressed that there were the good sides of Nigerians in Sierra Leone which he referred to as very evident in the country.
“The good sides of Nigeria are there to see. We fought alongside with Sierra Leone for eleven years during the rebel war, you can see the Obasanjo civic center that was opened last week at Newton, you can see our contribution in the technical Aid Corps as we have over 50 Nigerians teaching in higher institutions as volunteers, medical workers in the hospitals and those in the private sector contributing to the economic development of the country.”
In how to rebrand the image of Nigerians in the country, the High Commissioner said his mission has held a meeting with the Nigerian National Union in the country which he said was going to be a continuous process on the need to live peacefully and be law abiding.
As part of Nigerian’s private sector initiative in the country, the High Commissioner said Nigerians were not only investing in Banking but in power generation thus the advent of income electrix who are providing power to Freetown and in the Insurance business.
He expressed his intention of strengthening the relationship between Sierra Leone and Nigeria referring to both as brothers and pledged to continue supporting Sierra Leone as part of Nigeria’s duty in ensuring that the country goes back to her pre-war days where it could stand on its own as a sovereign state.
By Ishmael Bayoh & Abibatu Kamara
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