Kan Dapaah urges MPs to discuss Garu incident with caution

The National Security Minister, Mr. Albert Kan Dapaah, has appealed to Members of Parliament (MPs) to exercise caution and circumspection in discussing the alleged brutality of civilians by the military in Garu, Upper East Region.

The Minister outlined three key reasons for this appeal during his briefing to Parliament.

Mr. Kan Dapaah highlighted the security situation in Bawku, exacerbated by an existing ethnic conflict in the area.

He also mentioned the ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the region.

The Minister emphasized the need to avoid demotivating and demoralizing the nation’s state security personnel.

“I want to assure the House of the continued cooperation and respect for the pieces of advice guidance that we continue to get from Members,” he said.

Mr. Kan Dapaah provided details on the incident that occurred in Garu on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

According to him, a team of five counter-terrorism intelligence officers was deployed for a critical operation in Garu.

However, he said upon their arrival, the team encountered hostility from irate youth armed with weapons, including AK47 rifles.

Despite attempts to identify themselves as National Security personnel, the National Security Minister disclosed that the officers were attacked, leading to an escalation of violence.

He said the irate youth pursued the officers to the Garu Police Station, where they fired multiple shots.

Mr. Kan Dapaah explained that the timely intervention of the Ghana Armed Forces personnel enabled the safe evacuation of the National Security personnel from the Garu Police Station.

He condemned the attack on the officers and the police station, describing it as reprehensible and worthy of condemnation.

Subsequent to these events, he disclosed that a joint operation conducted on Saturday, October 28, 2023, aimed to cease weapons used by the irate youth.

However, reports emerged regarding some excesses by the personnel involved in the operation.

The Minister mentioned that this aspect of the matter is currently before the court, and commenting on it would be inappropriate as it could amount to contempt of court.

Mr. Albert Alazuuga Akuka, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Garu, had earlier appealed to the House for the National Security Minister to brief Parliament on the Garu situation.

This request was granted by the Speaker, leading to the Minister’s comprehensive briefing.

Commenting on the Minister’s statement, Mr. Akuka reported that over 50 persons were hospitalized, with one death recorded after the military unleashed attacks on residents of Garu and Tempane.

The autopsy report of the deceased indicated a broken skull and broken ribs, raising concerns about the severity of the military actions.

Madam Lydia Akanvariba Adakudugu, the NDC MP for Tempane, called for the inclusion of Bugure, in her constituency, in the operation of the National Security personnel since it was not in Garu.

She also appealed to the Government to consider bearing the medical bills of the victims who were hospitalized due to the military brutality.

In response, Mr. Kan Dapaah assured the MPs that their concerns would be taken into consideration by the National Security Ministry.

The incident in Garu remains a subject of intense scrutiny, with the delicate balance between national security and accountability at the forefront of the parliamentary discussions.

Source:zedmultimedia