Fragile Peace in Anlo Threatened by Armed Thugs

The fragile peace currently existing in Anloga continues to be threatened by well known thugs loyal to Francis Nyonyo Agboada, also known as Seth Lumorvi Atitsogbui, who until recently styled himself Awoamefia of Anlo. It would be recalled that Nyonyo Agboada’s ambition to enstool himself Awoamefia led to the murder of 4 persons including one in police cells and a police officer in November 2007.

On Wednesday January 29, 2008 between 11:30 p.m. and the wee hours of Thursday, January 30, 2008, several gun shots were heard on the principal streets of Anloga, the capital of Anlo, causing terrified residents to run for cover.

Well known thugs numbering about five went about shooting into people’s homes, threatening life and property. They also burnt down the lotto kiosk of one Cudjoe Sewornu located on Dzidzenyo Street.

Terrified residents who testified to these criminal acts of terror included Mr. Makafui Woanya, 2nd Vice President, Volta Regional NPP, Dumega Avevor, Assemblyman for Lashibi Electoral Area, and Dumega Favour Yeke.

The security agencies were informed within minutes of the first gun shot but no action was taken and no arrests made even though the suspects are well known in Anloga Township.

The named suspects include Dovia ‘Digidon’ Korsitse, (aka Terrorist), Walter Dzatagbo, Senanu Kukubor, Eklu Borlugoe and Edem Agboada and information reaching the Anlo Youth Council indicate that the Keta Divisional Police Command has asked that residents of Anlo should arrest these gun-toting thugs for them.

In a related case, another resident Oscar Agbakpe, was brutally assaulted by elements of the same thugs namely - Gershion Avedor, Dovia ‘Digidon’ Korshitse, Edem Agboada, Dotse Dzatagbo, and Korshivi Fiagbe on Sunday January 27, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. The case was reported to the security agencies within an hour of the assault and the victim examined at the Keta Government Hospital.

Witnesses to the assault include a resident Mawuli Kpodo and Mr. Roland Tudzi, a retired educationist and Assemblyman for Dornorgbor. The victim Oscar Agakpe and his brother Besah Agbakpe contributed GH¢5.00 to provide transport for the Police CID Emmanuel Ouarshie of the Anloga Police Station to effect arrest yet the suspects have not been arrested and police continue to play the ‘go come’ game with victim and witnesses.

The Anlo Youth Council is not at all surprised at this turn of events in our homeland and can assert that no meaningful and effective policing has been done in Anloga since the on-set of Nyonyo’s attempt to foist himself on Anlo Awoamezi in 2002. Our position is vindicated by the utterances, acts of commission and omission, as well as the clearly partisan, unprofessional and unethical conduct by government agents, functionaries and institutions enjoined to ensure the safety and security of all Ghanaians including Anlos.

The obvious complicity of the police and government institutions in the Anlo crisis has occasioned the current spate of criminal acts being committed by this group of people at the behest of Nyonyo Agboada.

In the light of the above developments we wish to express our continued concern at the manner in which the government and its agencies charged with securing the life and property of Ghanaians under the 1992 Constitution are going about their duties, particularly, within the context of the crisis in Anlo.

We once again challenge President Agyekum Kuffour and the government of the NPP to find the moral authority to call the security agencies in Anlo Division to order. We also wish to appeal to our development partners, human right organizations and Diplomatic Missions to use the influence their countries have within the comity of nations to ensure that our government lives up to its responsibilities.

Signed:

Mayor Agbleze P. Y. Tsikata President (0244584835) Secretary (0242205520)