Zebilla MP Cletus Avoka expressed his disappointment with the Ghana Armed Forces for what he deems to be unnecessary attacks on civilians.
During an interview with Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on Class91.3FM’s mid-day news 12Live on Monday, 30, 2023, Mr Avoka shared his thoughts on the recent military raid and attack on civilians in Garu.
He found the incident to be “very unfortunate” and explained that the locals had peacefully escorted the national operatives to the police station after deflating their vehicle’s tires to allow for inspection.
Mr Avoka stated that the reprisal attack was unwarranted and went against the national security ministry’s ‘See Something, Say Something’ anti-terrorism campaign. He also refuted the statement issued by the national security ministry, stating that it was “not true”.
“Why this exercise? Why don’t you do intelligence-gathering on the ground. You could have gone to interview those who met them first and congratulated them becuase you say that ‘see something, say something’, and that is exactly what they did”, Mr Avoka noted.
He insisted: “They were no armed at the t8me they met the national security personnel and they were responsible people because they escorted them to the police station and handed them over to the police.”
“Where did they go wrong? Where did the Garu people go wrong? If you use a gun to kill a fly, is it fair?” he asked.
“You now send about 100 soldiers to Garu at 1am, 2am, go from house to house beating people. Look at the atrocities they have committed. Is this a civilised country? Is this a constitutional era? Is it a democratic era? What message are we sending to the international community; that we, as a government, are lawless?”.
He said even though Mr Kan Dapaah is a “gentleman” he respects “very much”, the statement that came from his ministry if “far from the truth” and “I thought that the minister should have been apologetic that they went into excesses. They went to beat people to a pulp. Does that bring the truth?”
Background
The area was reportedly stormed by the military in the early hours of Sunday, with the intention of subjecting civilians, particularly men, to corporal punishments and physical assault. This resulted in several injuries, and those affected are currently seeking treatment at the Garu District Hospital. The hospital is overwhelmed by the large number of cases.
According to Jacob Ayam, the Assembly Member of Kpeikpira in Tempane and a resident of Garu, most of the men in the community are now seeking refuge in the Garu valley. The National Security Ministry stated that the military action was in response to an attack on their personnel by angry youth of the town on Saturday.
The ministry had deployed five counter-terrorism intelligence officers to Garu for a critical and special operation. However, the irate youth group, armed with AK 47 rifles, machetes, and other weapons, attacked the officers.
They shot at them and pursued them to the police station, where they were eventually rescued by the Ghana Armed Forces. The ministry explained that their subsequent operation, in collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces, aimed to seize the weapons used in the attack. Additionally, a number of the perpetrators have been apprehended.
