There was drama on the floor of Parliament of Ghana, on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, as Members of Parliament (MPs) whose constituents were affected by the recent military brutality in Garu, including the MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, narrated the atrocities they went through.

While addressing the house, Mahama Agyariga gave details of what led to the personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces attacking innocent residents of Garu, Tempane, and Bugri.

He said that some residents saw an unknown vehicle behind a church in their community and after interrogating the occupants of the vehicle, they [residents] decided to take them to the police station in Garu because they were unsure about their identity.

He added that upon getting to the police station, the police confirmed the occupants of the vehicles, two men who had identified themselves as national security operatives.

However, the residents insisted that their vehicle be searched due to past experiences, the MP said.

“When they searched, they found automatic rifles, they found pestles, they found armour, they found bulletproof vest in the vehicle. So, the boys naturally became apprehensive… due to past incidents in which national security officers were allegedly involved,” he said.

He said that the residents said they weren't going to let the said national security operatives go until they were thoroughly investigated to ensure they were truly operatives.

He added that the police agreed to keep them in custody but unknown gunmen suddenly started shooting at the police station which led to everyone fleeing the premises.

Ayariga said that the following morning, after being informed of the incident, he called Minister for National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, who confirmed that the men in custody of the police were indeed national security operatives.

He then told the residents to let the operatives go about their work and a contingent of soldiers from Bawku came to pick them up.

The legislator went on to narrate that the days after the national security operatives were escorted out of Garu, some soldiers returned to the community and other surrounding communities to cause mayhem.

He said that soldiers, numbering around 40, attacked the communities at 3:00 a.m., moving from house to house in groups of four.

“The soldiers besieged Garu, Tempane, and Bugri and they were beating anybody that they came across… They ransacked homes that came across in Garu, Tempane and Bugri,” he said.



Watch a video of Mahama Agyariga's emotional address in parliament below:



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