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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lawlessness of NPP loyalists is national security threat – Haruna Iddrisu

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The Minority leader has said the unbridled attacks carried out by loyalists of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) are threat to the stability of the country.

Haruna Iddrisu said Ghanaians are living in fear because of the repeated attacks by pro-NPP vigilante groups namely Invincible Forces and Delta Force.

The Tamale South MP told Evans Mensah on Joy FM’s Newsnite Thursday, the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has failed to protect the citizens in the face of the wanton attacks.

Related Article: Video: NPP’s Delta Force free vigilante suspects in court custody

Delta Force members after attack on Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Agyei

“We are concerned and worried about the creeping lawlessness in the country and the inability of President Akufo-Addo and supported by the security agencies to nip this in the bud,” he said.

The legislator’s comments come hours after a total of 50 members of Delta Force thronged a Circuit court in Kumasi to release 13 of their members who are standing trial for violent behaviour and assault.

A total of 21 people were arrested when they stormed the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council to attack newly appointed Regional Security Coordinator, George Agyei. The group had said it does not want Mr Agyei to be appointed because he did not contribute to the victory of the NPP in the 2016 election.

Out of the 21 men who were arraigned, only 13 of them showed up. The rest did not turn up at the court premises resulting in the issuing of a bench warrant for their arrest.

The police have arrested eight members of the group who were involved in the release of the 13. Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Appeatu, has pledged the arrest of the rest.

Related Article: Delta Force escapees: Turn yourselves in or be flushed out – Interior Minister

The action by the group has been widely condemned by some Ghanaians, leadership of the NPP and National Democratic Congress (NDC). The police have been criticised for failing to anticipate the situation.

NPP National Youth Organiser, Sammy Awuku

NPP National Youth Organiser, Sammy Awuku, has told Joy News the blame should be laid at the door steps of the security agencies because of their inability to end the attacks.

“You can’t take chances like this,” he said, adding the President has directed the police to handle the issue because he does not want to be involved.

Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, has warned the 13 men who absconded following the attack on the court to turn themselves in or would be smoked out by a contingent of police and military men.

Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery

“I have said that if you commit an offence, we shall arrest you, investigate the matter, and send you to court,” he told the media at a news conference in Accra.

But Mr Iddrisu, who had earlier interrogated National Security Minister, Ken Dapaah in Parliament over activities of vigilante groups, said government has to demonstrate that it can guarantee the security of citizens.

“We are getting ambivalent about what they are doing and the handling of those matters [because] punitive measures have not been taken,” he said.

He said they will monitor the situation keenly and highlight the worrying issues because things going on are not what Ghanaians negotiated for when they voted for the NPP.

“We are terribly disappointed by government’s inability to contain the growing worrying security situation” he said.

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