Lockdown: Ghana Police urges public to ignore viral brutality videos

The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has asked the general public to disregard videos in circulation on social media showing brutality being meted to a section of the citizenry by some personnel of their outfit in the period of the lockdown.

According to the GPS, the videos are not situations from the lockdown directive by the president which has restricted movements to stem the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

Following the start of the lockdown, many videos have emerged about some security personnel severely abusing citizens for flouting the indoor rule by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Ghanaians have complained bitterly about the harsh treatment meted out on them by both the military and police.

Denying the allegations, the Police Service stated that the videos are old; some as far back as 2013.

“We have seen some videos which are not related to the ongoing COVID operation trending. We are sharing with you the details of those videos so that you all share with family and friends.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) says videos trending on social media that sought to suggest that some soldiers on the Operation COVID Safety were manhandling citizens are fake.

A statement issued by the public relations directorate of the GAF said the videos are doctored and re-cycled videos of past events, some of which did not even originate from Ghana.

Below are some of the videos the Ghana Police Service says are fake

We have seen some videos which are not related to the ongoing COVID operation trending. We are sharing with you the details of those videos so that you all share with family and friends.#operationCOVIDsafety pic.twitter.com/rJ9uVuJYdo

— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) March 31, 2020

We have seen some videos which are not related to the ongoing COVID operation trending. We are sharing with you the details of those videos so that you all share with family and friends.#operationCOVIDsafety pic.twitter.com/A3L68x0AcM

— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) April 1, 2020

We have seen some videos which are not related to the ongoing COVID operation trending. We are sharing with you the details of those videos so that you all share with family and friends.#operationCOVIDsafety pic.twitter.com/nfnS2ROwcU

— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) April 1, 2020