On the back of a swoop by some military men carried out at Ashaiman in Accra on Tuesday following the murder of a young military officer identified as Trooper Imoro Sherrif, many celebrities and the general public have taken to various social media platforms to express their disgust.
Trooper Imoro Sherrif is reported to have been stabbed to death by some unidentified persons at Ashaiman, leading the military to storm the area to brutalise residents.
“GAF wishes to state categorically that the military operation, which was sanctioned by the Military High Command, was NOT to avenge the killing of the soldier but rather to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime,” the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) said in a statement while adding that they picked up about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old.
These individuals, according to the statement, have since been handed over to the Military Police.
The Deputy Minister for Defence, Kwaku Amankwa Manu has stated that the government will not offer any apology for the presence of armed military men in Ashaiman.
According to him, while the government feels sorry for the alleged incidents of violence meted out to civilians during the operation, it is not in the books of the government to apologise for the operation which has been deemed by some critics as unlawful.
“I think that it is only proper that we admit when there are excesses and in operations of this nature, you may get one or two people who may get carried away and so I mean if decent, innocent residents of Ashaiman were caught up in these operations, I, in my capacity as the deputy Defence Minister will want to apologise for that. That, of course, we will apologise, but my brother, we are not going to apologise for the operation,” he told Joynews in an interview.
The development has triggered reactions from the general public with some condemning the act while others have mounted spirited defense for the military.
Below are some reactions from some celebrities.
The statement does not only confirm everything we’ve suspected; it was sanctioned by the top military brass. Zero consequences for the actions of the crass soldiers involved in this dastardly act.
— #ReadyWithJM???? (@Bridget_Otoo) March 8, 2023
Aren’t such so called swoops pic.twitter.com/4PdQZBkrPn
When does the military arrest and investigate crime?
— #ReadyWithJM???? (@Bridget_Otoo) March 8, 2023
Whatever the nature of the crime, it’s not the Military’s job and they know it.
The only reason that ill- prepared, inconsequential statement is out is because of the public outrage.
It was a revenge attack! Own up to it…
If by tomorrow dem no find the perpetrators of the crime ebe safe to say their method too be useless!! Dem beat people for free! Abi you say you don’t trust the police dema method…..you used your method and it didn’t yield any result! Go back to the drawing board!
— Kwadwo Sheldon (@kwadwosheldon) March 7, 2023
Peace ☮️???????? pic.twitter.com/7nkaB4VWKA
— 1GAD (@stonebwoy) March 7, 2023
We beg for Peace and calm in #Ashaiman ????????????????????????. RIP to the young soldier. Regardless of the circumstances be it over money or love , no man has the right to take another man’s life. Blood on your hands till you meet karma.
— SAMINI (@samini_dagaati) March 8, 2023
