Chiefs kick against the disbandment of Ofoase ‘boko haram’ group

The Chiefs of Ofoase Zongo in the Eastern region have expressed their unwillingness disband the controversial neighborhood watch group, popularly called ‘Boko Haram’ as they have requested police assistance in regulating their activities in the community.

The group has been under a lot of contention over the past week after being accused of torturing a young lady for buying food from a Christian.

Though leaders in the Zongo community said the group has no affiliation with Nigeria’s Boko Haram, they have condemned the actions of its members who took advantage of the formation of a community watchdog to take the law into their own hands.

The Chiefs had earlier denied the existence of the group but have confirmed the group was formed the help to prevent children from engaging in social vices and although not under the name ‘Boko Haram’.

The Paramount Chief of the area Obrimpong Debenkye has told Starr News they want the police to help supervise the group’s activities instead of disbanding it.

“Formerly they were not under police control but we are trying to bring them under police control whereby they would [supervised] to do what is right. As for the name Boko Haram, it was given to them by a few people in the community” the chief remarked.

Meanwhile the divisional police commander at the Ofoase police command, Superintendent James Safo Peprah has said the merits of their request are contentious.

“We are not against a particular group. We know that there was an existence of a neighborhood watch and the fact that the neighborhood watch members were mandated by the leadership of the Zongo community to ensure that the classrooms which were virtually empty would be full …but we are against the abuse. Under this democratic dispensation nobody has the right to take the law into his own hands and issue lashes to anybody. What we are against is the abuse and its excesses” he told Starr News’ Kwaku Obeng Adjei on the Starr Midday News.