General News of Thursday, 7 August 2003

Source: GNA

IGP advises Dagbon Youth against intended "aluta"

Accra, Aug. 7, GNA - Nana Stephen Owusu-Nsiah, Inspector General of Police (IGP) has advised the Dagbon Youth against their intended demonstration in Accra.

He asked them to rather "confer with their elders before taking any rush decision which may be based on youthful exuberance". The IGP, who was reacting to a publication of an intended demonstration in the Wednesday August 6, 2003 edition of the Free Press, asked the youth to reflect seriously on the implications of the demonstration.

Nana Owusu-Nsiah said their energies should also be directed towards assisting opinion leaders, politicians, chiefs and elders of Dagbon as well as the security agencies to bring peace and development to the area.

In statement issued on Thursday by the Public Relations Directorate of the Police and signed by the Director of Public Relations, Assistant Superintendent of Police David Eklu said it was important for the youth to bear in mind that the Police greatly relied on pieces of information obtained from the members of the public on crimes committed or about to be committed.

Thus in the case of the assassination of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, Paramount Chief of Dagbon Traditional Area, the information gathered from the public was used to support the report of the Presidential Commission set up to inquire into the incident and the subsequent arrest of 28 people who were alleged to have been involved.

It said out of this number, Iddrisu Jahinfo and Yidana Sugri were put before court while the dockets on the remaining 26 suspects have been forwarded to the Attorney - General's Office for advice. He said the Police had not "closed the chapter on the investigations and it was unfortunate and disheartening for the Dagbon youth to accuse the government, the Police and other security agencies for not doing enough about the Ya Na's murder.
"The demonstration against the IGP and/or the government might not be the solution to the problem", the statement said.