(1). Senior Comrades, welcome to your new roles in the government of my senior brother, DRAMANI IBN MAHAMA.
(2). May be, your first assignment in counter-terrorism espionage is to find out the whereabouts of IDDRIS YARIBILA, a 33 years old terrorist from Kugipela (“white stone”) in Burkina Faso. He was arrested and detained by State Security while he was an espionage mission to Gushiegu. He was arrested at Tubongo in the Tempane general area on 11th March, 2024, and he was escorted to Pulimakom, and transferred to Accra.
(3). In furtherance of your counter-terrorism espionage objective, you may consider mounting an effective public education around National Stability and Security, especially with the use of new media.
(4). I thrive on risky daredevil escapades. So, I feel comfortable observing, monitoring, and reporting news from territories where Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs) operate.
(5). As you may be aware, I have continuously filed and shared widely news reports from Bawku since the first shots were fired and the following locals were murdered at Daduri on 23rd January, 2022:
(a). Taiban Yusif, a 50 years old Mamprusi
(b). Ajara Abdulai, a 47 years old Busanga.
(c). Fulerah Mohammed, a 47 years old Moshi.
(d). Zaradeen Suleman, a 40 years old Moshi.
(e). Osman Musah, a 34 years old Moshi.
(f). Seidu Alhassan Bagayah, a 50 years old Moshi.
(g). Daladi Abukari, a 43 years old Hausa.
(h). Nuru Sofo Dankwahia, a 35 years old Grumah.
(i) Maasuada Suleman, a 35 years old Wala.
(6). I have witnessed and documented too many murders, too much bloodshed, too many acts of wickedness of human beings against their fellow human beings that I can state emphatically that it is an imperative that you must do everything within your power, authority and influence to stop the carnage in Bawku!!
(8). I was privileged to have been physically present at the closed door meeting between President Dramani Ibn Mahama and the Bawku Naba on 14th January 2024. I sensed and felt the seriousness with which President Dramani Ibn Mahama intends to restore security, safety, peace, progress, and prosperity to Bawku and the Kusaug Traditional Area. I sensed and felt the renewed vigour with which the new National Security Coordinator, COP Osman Abdul Razak, wishes to tackle Bawku matters. Everything is on the line for Bawku. The NDC has the overwhelming mandate, and you, the Security Capos have to get it done, no curve, no bend!
(7). I wish you could join me on a walk about in some communities in the Bittou Commune of the Boulgou Province of Eastern Burkina Faso. Fortunately, Major-General Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, the Presidential Envoy to the Jihadist-troubled Sahel, and Executive Chairman of Human Security Research Centre (HSRC) is already aware that this terrain is saturated with the presence of the jihadist groups Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Ansaroul Islam.
(8). I wish you could join me do checks in communities that are some 5km close to Ghana’s Kulungugu general area and also across the approved and unapproved Burkina Faso/Ghana entry-exit points, especially at:
Nwari (between pillars 0&1).
Sinkom (between pillars 8 & 9).
Container road (between pillars 15 &16).
Chamataa (between pillars 16 & 17).
Badoo (Bigger Pillar) – (between pillars 20 & 21).
Gumankutari (between pillars 26 &27).
(9). Since it will be a miscarriage of common sense for you to join me, kindly allow me to whisper to you that “foreign spies” are infiltrating the Northern Axis of Ghana. Some disguise themselves as refugees, cattle herders, farmers, poor urchins begging for food, traders, tourists, etc. You are likely to find them in the Upper West, Upper East, North East, and Northern Regions, cunning, sneaky, and right there in the lives of Ghanaians.
(10). Will you consider public education with visible posters and slogans on bill boards, on sidewalks, commercial vehicles/tricycles, on campuses, and at places of worship sounding the alarm about terrorists espionage threats to the country?
(11). Will you consider sustained efforts to foster anti-terrorists espionage awareness and enhance security measures in the light of the evolving landscape of terrorists’ espionage threats.
(12). Will you consider empowering locals and entities with the knowledge and skills required to bolster their vigilance and preempt terrorists espionage activities effectively?
I shall return.
Owula Mangortey
Bittou, Burkina Faso
25th January 2025