According to Ghana Web report, Dr. Mahama Tiah Abdul-Kabiru, Member of Parliament for Walewale, has strongly criticized the government’s decision to impose a curfew on Walewale and its surrounding areas in the North East Region, calling the move “poorly made and politically motivated.”
The curfew was imposed by the Interior Ministry following two attacks in the area, which are believed to be linked to the ongoing conflict in Bawku. In a statement, Dr. Abdul-Kabiru expressed frustration over the lack of consultation with him or other affected representatives prior to the decision. He also argued that the curfew failed to address the root causes of the security concerns and unfairly targeted innocent civilians in his constituency.
“The Interior Ministry together with the Ministry of Defence consulted with MPs from the Bawku area without extending an olive branch to those of us equally affected in this matter,” Dr. Abdul-Kabiru said. “This is clearly a decision that does not seek to foster peace but an attempt to use state power to unjustifiably punish innocent civilians.”
The MP emphasized that if the government believed the curfew was a necessary security measure, it should have been applied more broadly to other areas, including Binduri, Zebilla, and Garu, where travelers have also faced deadly attacks. He pointed out that there have been at least 25 attacks in these regions since December 2021, with three of them occurring within the last month.
“The selective application of this security measure suggests that the lives of travelers to and from Bawku do not matter,” Dr. Abdul-Kabiru remarked. “A reasonable security measure would have been an enhancement of patrols and the provision of military escorts for travelers. Half of the police and military personnel that will be used to enforce this curfew could have been deployed for this purpose.”
The MP also condemned the actions of the military, accusing them of brutality against innocent civilians. He alleged that in the past two days, military personnel had tortured residents in several communities, leading to one death and several injuries.
“In the last two days, the military has tortured any person on sight in Kukua, Loagri, Walewale, Gbimsi, and Wulugu communities, leading to the loss of one life and several others maimed,” he claimed. “The military’s actions are unlawful and distasteful. I shall liaise with the families of the deceased and other victims to seek justice through all legal means.”
Dr. Abdul-Kabiru further criticized the Interior Ministry’s communication, suggesting that it unfairly implicated the people of Walewale as responsible for the attacks. He stressed that while some individuals might be using the security situation to stage attacks, it was unjust to punish the entire community.
“The decision to impose the curfew and the communication from the Interior Minister suggest that the people of Walewale are those responsible for the attacks. This is clearly a deliberate misunderstanding of the situation,” he stated.
In his statement, the MP appealed for calm and cooperation with the security services to maintain peace in the area. He also urged the Interior Ministry to reconsider the curfew decision and engage in further discussions to ensure a more effective, peaceful resolution to the ongoing security issues.