Anyidoho arrest: Police fire teargas to disperse protesters

The Ghana Police Service have employed the use of water cannon vehicles and the firing of teargas to disperse a group of supporters who were protesting the arrest of Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and had massed up at the entrance of the Ghana Police Headquarters.

The supporters were chanting songs and had blocked the main Danquah Circle–Kwame Nkrumah Interchange road. They also burnt car tyres when they realised there was no sign Mr Koku Anyidoho was going to be released.

The Police said they had to use force to expel the crowd after diplomacy and negotiations had failed.

The law enforcement agency sprayed hot water and tried to effect some arrests leading to various degrees of injury by some of the protesters.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service picked up Mr Anyidoho on Tuesday, 27 March, for inciting civilians to launch a coup d’etat against the Akufo-Addo government.

Mr Anyidoho was picked up at the Press Centre in Accra where he and several other opposition leaders belonging to the Progressive Forces, were holding a news conference, to condemn the government for signing a security cooperation deal with the United States of America.

Class91.3FM's Joshua Kojo Mensah reported that CID officers wielding guns, stormed the press conference to pick up Mr Anyidoho amidst chaos and resistance from several other people who were at the presser.

Mr Anyidoho’s arrest follows indications by Minister of Information Mustapha Abdul-Hamid that Ghana’s security agencies must invite the NDC politician over his comment.

Mr Anyidoho told Happy FM on Monday, 26 March that: “Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself.

“On the January 13, 1972 a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addo’s father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself.

“There’ll be a civil revolt. There’ll be a people’s movement. During President John Mahama’s tenure didn’t we receive similar threats from the likes of Let My Vote Count and OccupyGhana.”

“There’ll be a civilian coup d’etat; there’ll be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He [Akufo-Addo] will be fed up at the presidency,” Mr Anyidoho said.