Parents of Nazir Nortei Alema, the Ghanaian said to have joined terrorist group Islamic State (IS), have expressed shock at the action of their 25-year-old son.

“It was a shock because we didn’t expect to hear something like that from him,” Nazir's father, Abdul Latif Alema, told TV3 on Tuesday, August 25.

Nazir had sent a WhatsApp message on Sunday, August 16 that he had joined IS contrary to telling the family he was going on an official assignment in Prestea in the Western Region.

“We are in a state of mourning,” Mr Alema said about the decision of his son, “but we have not given up hope yet.”

Nazir graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in 2014 after studying Geography and Rural Development.

‘Miracle’

He had served the nation at the Statistical Service Department but made the move to join IS after completion last month.

“I don’t know what to do,” his mother, Saiba Maaten Alema, told TV3.

“I am just there and I am waiting for a miracle to happen.”

Described as a friendly person, Nazir sent a WhatsApp message to his senior brother, Kabiru, over his whereabout.

“I lied…,” the message read.

“I told you a lie to please my Allah. The deception was to go do some research work in far away Prestea, while the main idea was to move far away from you all to the Islamic State.”

The National Security has launched investigation into the development while the Office of the Chief Imam has condemned the action, advising Muslim parents to be keenly interested in the movements and actions of their children.