The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has refuted allegations that soldiers deployed to Bawku to restore calm and maintain order have killed seven locals.
The allegations were first made by the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, who indicated that the military shot indiscriminately into some locals running for cover, killing seven of them in the process.
But the military in a statement dismissed the allegations and chronicled several incidents of violent attacks in the area. The military described the claims as false and unfounded.
The military, however, stated that they engaged a group of armed men and neutralised six of them.
“In a separate incident, sporadic firing was heard around Sabongari General Area. A Patrol Team dispatched to assess the situation spotted unknown armed men at Gozesi-Valley side in Sabongari wearing black T-shirts with Black Hoodies. Troops engaged them and neutralised six (6) armed men. During the engagement, some armed men took cover in a mud house within the immediate vicinity to engage the Team.”
Below is the full statement:
GAF REFUTES KILLING ALLEGATIONS AT BAWKU
The attention of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has been drawn to allegations by some individuals in Bawku that soldiers deployed on Operation Gongong to restore calm in the area are killing innocent Kusasi youth and women in their homes and communities. They also allege that military personnel have seized Zoogin, a Kusasi community. GAF wishes to categorically state that these allegations are false and unfounded.
Information received from the National Investigations Bureau by the Operation Gongong Team of GAF early this week indicates that passengers on board a yellow KIA Grand Bird Bus with Registration Number AS 3672-21 travelling from Accra to Missiga were attacked by unknown gunmen around Kpawelga on the Bawku Highways. The gunmen fired through the tyre and engine compartment of the vehicle. The bus is currently packed at Asylum Down, Bawku Divisional Police Station for the investigation to be conducted.
Also, one KIA Rhino truck with registration number AS 7093-17 was hit and the driver of the truck, Alhassan Abdella aged 40, from the Gonja tribe sustained a gunshot wound on the left foot. He is currently receiving treatment at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital.
Again, on Wednesday 1 February 2023, gunshots were heard around South Natinga in Bawku. A Patrol Team rushed to the general area of the shooting where a suspect, Abdul Malik Haruna, aged 35 from the Mamprusi tribe was arrested. He has since been handed over to the Bawku Police for further investigation.
It must be also placed on record that based on a tip-off by the Bawku Police on the hideout of the suspects alleged to be involved in the firing incident at Bawku, troops conducted cordon and search operations together with Bawku Police at Pateleme General Area.
Three suspects, Fatau Alhassan Binda, aged 42, Abubakar Iddrisu, aged 44 and Alhassan Mustapha Binda, aged 33, all from the Dagomba tribe were arrested in a house at Pateleme. They were handed over to the Bawku Police for further investigations.
In a separate incident, sporadic firing was heard around Sabongari General Area. A Patrol Team dispatched to assess the situation spotted unknown armed men at Gozesi-Valley side in Sabongari wearing black T-shirts with Black Hoodies. Troops engaged them and neutralized six (6) armed men. During the engagement, some armed men took cover in a mud house within the immediate vicinity to engage the Team.
One of the armed men attempted to attack troops with a cutlass but was disarmed in the process. During the operation. a local woman found with a gunshot injury on her left hand was sent to Bawku Presbyterian Hospital by troops for treatment.
Following these incidents and the false allegations making the rounds, it has become necessary for GAF to disclose these outcomes in order to dispel false information and the wrong notion that a particular group is being targeted by troops in Bawku.
The Ghana Armed Forces therefore once again wish to assure the general public of its commitment to protecting the citizenry at all times. It is therefore soliciting the support of all peace-loving Ghanaians especially indigenes of Bawku to facilitate the process of bringing normalcy to the area and also to aid GAF in de-escalating tension in the interest of the needed peace and security for the socio-economic development of Bawku and the nation as a whole.
SIGNED
Naval Captain
Director Public Relations