A violent face-off between heavily armed Kusasi militants and counterterrorism intelligence officers on special operations in Garu, Upper East Region, almost resulted in a bloodbath, but the intervention of Ghana Armed Forces prevented it.
Report indicates that on Tuesday, 24th October 2023, the Kusasi militants, armed with clubs, machetes, AK-47 rifles and other weapons, stopped and confronted officials in a black Toyota Land Cruiser.
The officials identified themselves as security operatives on national duty, but the Kusasi gang accused them of being allies of a Mamprusi chief.
The violent face-off lasted for several minutes, and the officials had to take a detour to the police station to prevent the situation from escalating further.
The Kusasi gang pursued them, and dozens of Kusasi men besieged the police station, surrounding it and firing sporadic gunshots.
The gang turned the police station into a war zone with their heavy shooting, but military reinforcement arrived at about 5:30am the following day to extract the officials from the scene and escort them to safety.
The attackers destroyed a great deal of property, including the officer’s vehicle, which was badly damaged, with all its windows smashed and bullet holes from the gang’s sophisticated guns.
It is unknown how many casualties were recorded, but security has been tightened to ensure calm. The police are investigating the perpetrators of the attack.
In a related development, an audio recording in the Kusaal language has gone viral since the violent attack.
The tape captures the voice of one Moro Zabug, who swears to kill the Kusasi’s targets and devises plans to do so without mercy.
The attack brings into focus the insecurity that persists in Ghana’s Upper East Region, with constant attacks on innocent security officials and police stations in the area.
The government needs to develop strategies to tackle the insecurity to prevent further violence from the Kusasi militants.