The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has warned residents of Bawku against directly engaging the military, highlighting the potential for severe consequences.
“Troops will spare no opportunity to defend themselves as well as protect residents of Bawku,” the GAF wrote in a statement addressing the recent deaths in Bawku.
The GAF denied allegations that some of its officers intentionally fired upon innocent civilians in Bawku, resulting in three fatalities.
In a press release issued on January 20, the GAF provided an account of the incident, stating that at approximately 8:30 pm on Thursday, their officers, engaged in night foot patrols near Hasania School at Sabongari, were targeted by gunfire from four assailants.
According to the GAF statement, the officers responded by returning fire, resulting in the death of three of the gunmen, while the fourth individual managed to escape the scene.
“Troops retrieved one AK-47 rifle loaded with 16 rounds of 7.62 x 39 mm ammunition. Ghana Police team arrived at the location subsequently to convey the deceased assailants to the morgue.
“The AK-47 rifle with serial number 81-1/13024074 inspected by Bawku Divisional Police personnel is currently in their own custody,” parts of the statement read.
The GAF clarified that the incident occurred in the context of heightened tensions in Bawku, where four individuals had lost their lives the previous week.
This situation led to an escalation in security measures, including increased patrols. According to the GAF’s statement, on the day of the incident, their officers conducting patrols were fired upon by unidentified gunmen.
Additionally, the police reportedly thwarted an attempt by two local individuals to detonate an explosive at the Bawku Goil filling station on the same day.
“In as much as GAF regrets the demise of the assailants, the escalating violence in the Bawku general area is unfortunate.
“The presence and attempt to detonate high explosives such as RPG bombs in the operational environment signposts the changing dynamics of the threat profile,” they added.
The GAF’s response follows accusations made by Mahama Ayariga, the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, who claimed that the armed forces had shot and killed three innocent men without any justification.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) rejected the claims made by the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, asserting that the information was false. The GAF emphasized that the assertion that a specific group was being targeted by the deployed troops in Bawku lacked substantiation.
The Ghana Armed Forces issued a caution, advising the conflicting factions to refrain from involving the military in direct armed confrontation.
They emphasized the importance of avoiding actions that could lead to a direct clash with the military while urging all parties to make efforts to resolve the current impasse through peaceful means.
“GAF wishes to assure the general public of its fervent commitment to protecting the citizenry. It is therefore imploring the support of all peace-loving Ghanaians, especially the good people of Bawku to facilitate the process of bringing lasting peace to the area and also to aid GAF and sister security agencies in de-escalating tension in the interest of peace, security and socio-economic development of Bawku and the nation in general.”
