'BNI is not serious, they are jokers' – John Boadu

Acting General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party [NPP], John Boadu has described the state topmost security as a flippant institution.

According him, communiqué from the Ministry of Interior that explains the real reason why head of NPP flagbearer security detail was detained is “laughable” and “untrue”.

A statement released by the Interior ministry said NPP’s security chief, Captain Edmond KODA has been on the BNI’s radar since 2014 after an attempt to cause political revolt.

“Captain Koda’s current arrest comes on the heels of a previous security alert in 2014,” the statement signed by Interior minister Prosper Bani said.

Capt. Koda was detained by BNI for his role played in bringing three South African ex-police officers into Ghana to train fifteen people in various security drills.

The NPP had said that the fifteen people who were being trained are part of the security detail of Nana Akufo-Addo and his running mate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Koda was released on Thursday after charges against him were dropped but he was later rearrested at his home in Wieja and released again on Sunday due to his health issue.

But the Interior ministry says the BNI’s actions are based on some events in 2014 involving some Serbian nationals.

“After his name popped up in a National Security investigation of the activities of some Serbian nationals who were brought into the country to train selected people drawn from across the country in the art of civil insurrection. A training dubbed 'Assaulting the pillars of power'," the statement said.

The statement also sought to establish some alleged notorious behavior exhibited by Koda in the past - “As a young officer, Captain Koda had been involved in the AFRC regime. Following accusations of corruption he was convicted together with a colleague and incarcerated in the Ussher Fort Prison. They subsequently escaped during a jail break and went into exile outside Ghana.”

In an interview with NEAT FM’s morning show dubbed 'Ghana Montie', John Boadu maintained that all charges against Captain Koda are “totally false” – “They [BNI] should give us details on what Captain Koda did in 2014. So are they [BNI] serious? This is funny. The BNI is entertaining us rather than doing their security operative works.”