The Ministry of National Security has reacted to reports of alleged brutality by personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on some residents of Garu in the Upper East region.
Over 50 residents in Tempane and Garu have sustained various degrees of injuries and hospitalised following the incident which occurred on Sunday.
The military personnel according to reports stormed the area to avenge attacks on some National Security operatives on October 24.
But the Ministry has in a statement debunked the reports.
The Ministry has said that it was a joint operation to seize weapons used in the October 24 attack by a vigilante group in Garu.
It has explained despite initial attempts to introduce themselves as National Security personnel, the irate youth group proceeded to attack the officers by firing multiple gunshots at a black Toyota Land Cruiser in which the officers were seated.
Following an escalation of the attacks on their vehicle, the officers drove to seek refuge at the Garu Police Station.
“The irate youth, subsequently, pursued the officers, encircled the police station, and fired multiple shots at same with the intention of killing the officers,” portions of the statement read.
The statement added the timely intervention of the Ghana Armed Forces enabled the safe evacuation of the National Security personnel from the Garu Police Station.
“Further to the development as mentioned earlier, the Ministry of National Security and the Ghana Armed Forces, on Saturday, October 28, 2023, conducted a joint operation in Garu to seize weapons used by the perpetrators of the attack on the National Security personnel. A number of the perpetrators have also been arrested,” it added.
Below is the National Security Ministry’s statement:
On Tuesday, October 24, 2023 an irate youth group armed with AK 47 rifles, machetes and other weapons besieged a team of five counter-terrorism intelligence officers deployed by the Ministry of National Security to Garu, in the Upper East Region, on a critical, special operation.
Despite initial attempts to introduce themselves as National Security personnel, the irate youth group proceeded to attack the officers by firing multiple gun shots at a black Toyota Land Cruiser in which the officers were seated. Following an escalation of the attacks on their vehicle, the officers drove to seek refuge at the Garu Police Station.
The irate youth, subsequently, pursued the officers, encircled the police station and fired multiple shots at same with the intention of killing the officers.
The timely intervention of the Ghana Armed Forces enabled the safe evacuation of the National Security personnel from the Garu Police Station. Further to the aforesaid development, the Ministry of National Security and the Ghana Armed Forces, on Saturday, October 28, 2023, conducted a joint operation in Garu to seize weapons used by the perpetrators of the attack on the National Security personnel. A number of the perpetrators have also been arrested.
The Ministry of National Security deems the attack on the security personnel at a police station highly unacceptable, and strongly condemns acts aimed at intimidating and harming officials of State Security and Intelligence Agencies, and impeding them from effectively executing their mandate to safeguard the peace and stability of Ghana.
Whereas the Ministry of National Security works to promote active citizen participation in safeguarding the peace and stability of our dear nation, deliberate acts that seek to jeopardise the lives of personnel of State Security and Intelligence Agencies will not be countenanced.
The Ministry owes it a duty to protect personnel of State Security and Intelligence Agencies who have sworn an oath to, at all times, defend the people and the territorial integrity of Ghana against all forms of threats.