“They Protected Us Better Than Police” – Obiri Boahen Defends Disbanded Vigilante Groups

Former Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has criticised the party’s decision to disband its vigilante groups, calling the move “childish” and politically costly as reported by Ghana Web.

His remarks follow violent scenes at the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, where prominent NPP figures were reportedly assaulted by individuals suspected to be affiliated with the opposition.

Boahen argued that the Delta Force and Invisible Force played a crucial role in the NPP’s 2016 electoral victory and offered protection that state security agencies could not.

He expressed frustration over the party’s failure to protect theit own, especially during critical political events.

He attributed the current vulnerability of party members to the passage of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act in 2019, which led to the formal disbandment of political militia groups.

According to Boahen, this decision left the NPP exposed to attacks from opponents. “It did not make sense when the NPP introduced a law to disband vigilante groups,” he said.

Using the recent incident as an example, he warned that such attacks could escalate in future contests if measures are not taken to secure party loyalists.

Boahen also claimed that he had strong ties with the disbanded groups and would have been made their patron if they were still active.

He stressed that while political violence is not ideal, the reality of Ghana’s political terrain demands that parties take steps to protect their members.