Security Policy Expert Anthoney Acquaye, with the Center for Security Dialogue and Peace Advocacy, has raised questions concerning the Ministry of National Security's decision to deploy personnel to the Garu community, without informing the District Chief Executive Officer (DCE) of the community.

This is in light of the recent attack on Garu leading to brutalities inflicted on residents in the area.

According to him, the National Security Ministry’s explanation of brutality exposes the knowledge gap in fight against terrorism.

This comes after some personnel from the National Security and the Ghana Armed Force, in joint operations invaded the Garu in the Upper East Region, on Sunday, October 29, 2023.

Even though the reasons for the invasion remain unclear, it is widely speculated that the act was in retaliation for a confrontation that ensued between some National Security officers and a local vigilante group in the area.

The Ministry of National Security in its response, refuted the claims that the officers together with the military were intentionally deployed to the area to brutalise residents, it stated that the soldiers were sent on a special operation but were met with hostilities from some irate youth in the community.

The expert, Anthoney in a statement indicated that, if the proper entry approach was used by the ministry, there would be no need for the clash and also there would be no need for justification.

“The critical question that, the Ministry of National Security must answer is why it deployed its personnel from the National level to enter the Garu District without the knowledge and escort of the District Chief Executive Officer (DCE) who is the head of the District Security Council ( DISEC).

Better still an escort by the Garu District National Security officer or any of the assembly members representing the electoral areas in the District upon shared information from the National to the Regional Security Council (RESEC) would have helped to avoid the rise of anger by the youth that generated tension in their keen suspicious interest to know the identities of these officers.

“In actual fact, if the proper entry approach was used by the operatives clearly, there would be no need for them to attempt to explain themselves to justify their identity,” part of the statement read.

Acquaye emphasised the necessity for a holistic approach in addressing counter-terrorism.

He stressed the importance of cooperation from all stakeholders, especially citizens, to maintain proactive intelligence at various administrative levels, from local to national.

“Having critically analysed the Ministry of National Security's press release that sought to explain what transpired between the youth of Garu and the team of five counter-terrorism intelligence officers of the National Security which triggered the joint operation by the Ghana Armed Forces and the National Security operatives to storm Garu, resulting in gruesome brutality of some innocent civilians, I must say unequivocally that, this case exposes the crucial knowledge gap that hampers the fight against terrorism at the district level, and further affects the regional and national level at large.

“It is imperative to state on record that, the fight against the threat of terrorism in the country demands a holistic approach of cooperation by all stakeholders most importantly the citizens to ensure critical proactive intelligence from the Unit Committees level, Area Councils, Electoral Areas, Districts, Municipal or Metropolitan level, Regional level and the National at large,” the statement said.

Referencing the conflict situation in the Bawku enclave and the overall threat of terrorism, Acquaye justified the defensive reactions of the Garu youth upon intercepting a vehicle carrying sophisticated ammunition, which they perceived as a threat to their security.

He criticised the Ministry's actions, suggesting that brutality during joint operations stifles citizen participation and contradicts the Ministry's counter-terrorism awareness campaign.

“Taking into account the conflict situation within the Bawku enclave coupled with the threat of terrorism level in the country, it is justifiable for the youth of Garu to be in a state of defensive reaction as they intercepted the Black Toyota land cruiser carrying sophisticated ammunition that threatens their security. Sorry to say, if innocent citizens began to experience such joint operation brutality in their quest to go by the protocol of the National Security Ministry that, says " If you see something, say something" a strategic slogan that was created by the Ministry to effectively ensure counter-terrorism awareness campaign in the country then indirectly the Ministry is gagging against the promotion of citizens participation in safeguarding the peace and the stability of our dear country.

“Again, the Ministry claimed the officers drove to seek refuge at the Garu Police Station upon escalation of armed attacks on their vehicle and by the timely intervention of the military saw the National Security personnel evacuated from the Garu Police Station. Now, what is very wired to me in this portion of the statement is that no single youth was arrested for possessing a weapon whether legal or illegal at the time the military arrived at the scene in the police station to serve as empirical evidential support to justify why they want on with the joint operation to brutalise and allegedly seized Weapons used by the perpetrators in the attack,” the statement added.

Background

The operation, which was supposed to be carried out on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, met stiff opposition from the youth of Garu after they approached the security officers on a mission with AK 47 and rifle guns.

The Ministry explained that the youth of Garu launched an attack on some five
counter-terrorism intelligence officers by shooting at a black Toyota Land Cruiser the officers were in.

Despite attempts to introduce themselves as security persons with national security, the youth of Garu gave them no chance to do so, the statement explains.

The ministry also added that the intelligence officers were chased by the youth to the town's police station and continued with their attack.

It is in this vein the ministry sent other officers to the town on Saturday, October 28 to seize all weapons from the youth of Garu as well as arrest the offenders.

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