Spokesperson for the New Force Languishing in Detention

It has emerged that the Spokesperson for the New Force Diaspora and Diplomatic Engagements, Ms Shalimar Abbiusi has been arrested languishing in detention for the past 4 days.
She has been spending days in the custody of the National Investigations Bureau, formerly the BNI.

It’s unclear as to what led to her arrest, as reports suggested that she was called in by the NIB for a discussion on Monday, 4th December 2023 and was detained, she has since not been released thereafter.
According report she is said to have violated her entry permit.

Formation of the Group

A mysterious movement known as The New Force some months ago took Ghana by storm, capturing the attention of the nation with its bold billboards and masked figures.

The billboards, adorned with the striking inscription THE NEW FORCE, sparked a wave of curiosity and speculation among Ghanaians.

Due to that many were curious to find out the face behind the masked man or men, as the billboard, which shows a man in a wooden mask and a suit, conveys a message of leadership for the next generation, with the hashtag #TheNewForce.

The billboard also has the flag of Ghana at the bottom right corner.

Several individuals came out to announce their affiliation with “The New Force” while others have given hints that suggest they are “The New Force” or a part of it.

While the speculation was ongoing, it came out that a Ghanaian businessman Nana Kwame Bediako, better known as Freedom Jacob Caesar or Cheddar is the face behind the mask and leader of the emerging political group.

The former convenor for the #FixTheCountry movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, on November 4 also indicated that “The New Force” is not an individual but the whole of Ghana.

In a Twitter post where he shared an edited version of the viral billboard, he wrote: “We are all behind that Mask! The New Force is us! Not an individual.”

A Development Economist, Dr Samuel Ankrah, also claimed to be the face behind “The New Force”. Unlike the other individuals, he stated categorically that he was the face behind the masked man.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, November 19, he called on the entire populace to “rally behind a youthful movement that seeks to champion transparency and accountability.”

Thereafter, the Spokesperson now in custody in a teaser video following the billboards’ appearance, disclosed that the group will soon share their entire agenda.

According to her, ‘The agenda is simple; it is that of the people of Ghana to look into our current state and how to attain our aspirations of the people…”

She further asks if it’s ”the government or the people in charge? Is the leadership responsive at all? Isn’t it time for a change?” she added before urging her audience, including Ghanaians, to “embrace The New Force.”

Arrest Reactions
However, the New Force in a statement reacting to the arrest and detention of its Spokesperson said, that for the past four days, the security officials have continuously questioned Ms Abbiusi about the New Force: wanting to know which people are behind it and if the people want to run for President.

The statement continues that over this period she has been denied access to legal representation. subjected to an unlawful search of her premises and held beyond the legal 48-hour limit without formal charges.

“Further despite the objections of Ms Abbiusi’s lawyers, her apartment was broken into without a warrant and the place ransacked. Yet not a single element of incriminating evidence was found against her”.

It stated further that “while the authorities claim to be investigating the origin of The New Force it is essential to emphasize that having a political organization is not a criminal offence. As such the arbitrary detention of Ms. Abbiusi raises serious concerns about the abuse of power persecution of perceived political opponents and several human rights violations”.

Even though Ms Abbiussi’s residence permit was facilitated and issued to her over three years ago by the Ghana Immigration Service the authorities today told a District Court that they have temporarily charged her with an offence claiming that one of the documents she submitted could not be verified, adding that they are demanding that she is held in custody so that investigations into the New Force will continue.

“We have witnessed rising attacks against the New Force including the taking down and targeted destruction of several billboards of the New Force. We consider that these actions reflect the approach of cowards and persons who have lost the moral plot of leadership”.

The statement noted that Ms Abusi’s arrest marks an attempt by the Government to abuse our laws and its power to persecute political opponents. We deplore the attempts to use Ms Abbiusi’s immigration status to blackmail her. We consider that no person should be discriminated against on account of their political opinions or country of origin as guaranteed by our Constitution. These actions are morally and legally wrong and undermine faith in our democracy as well as the independence and fairness of our political institutions”.

They further claimed “Is this the Ghana we want? A Ghana where the abuse of power to intimidate and blackmail perceived political opponents and nationals of our partners? How much lower can we sink as a people? Ghana is losing its pride and its identity. We need a new direction: a new vision: and a New Ghana we can be proud of”.

“We encourage Ghanaians to be vigilant and engaged in preserving the integrity of our democracy. We ask you to demand a different kind of politics. That is the promise of the New Force. The international community is closely monitoring these developments. emphasizing the need for a swift and just resolution,” the statement said.

Source: Daniel Bampoe