Man arrested at Sowutuom over attack on Nigerian

The Odorkor Divisional Police Command has apprehended 27-year-old Mawuli Curtis Avutsu for his alleged involvement in the attack on some Nigerians living at Sowutuom in the Ga Central municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

The youth living in areas such as Lormnava, Agenda, Sowutuom, according to information, launched an attack on Nigerians in the area Monday morning after they had received news that a Nigerian had fatally stabbed one Amadu Misbau, their kinsman.

Two police patrol vehicles were destroyed by the youth when they (police) went to the area to restore calm.

The attack, according to eyewitnesses, was to avenge the death of Misbau, who was stabbed by one Thompson Peter, a Nigerian national, last Thursday at about 10pm.

Amadu Misbau was rushed to the Mary Lucy Hospital at Sowutuom where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Family members claimed their relative was shot by the Nigerian and not stabbed as reported earlier.

The aggrieved youth, after receiving the news of the death of their friend, allegedly mobilized themselves to attack a house solely occupied by Nigerians.

The police, upon receiving the information on the attack, stormed the area to rescue the Nigerians, but some of the youth pelted them with stones and in the process, damaged two police vehicles.

Reports indicated that after the Nigerians had been rescued and taken to a safe place, some of the youth purportedly invaded the house to loot.

Mawuli Curtis Avutsu was later identified as one of those who allegedly looted the house.

The Odorkor Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Samuel Alordey, yesterday confirmed the destruction of their two operational vehicles by the youth during the attack.

He said the matter was still under investigation to get the perpetrators of the act arrested.

Meanwhile, Thompson Peter has been remanded into custody by an Accra circuit court to reappear later.

The docket on the case has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice.

Thompson Peter was arrested last Thursday for allegedly stabbing Misbau Amadu, in the head with a knife after a confrontation at his (Peter’s) residence.

Inspector Kwabena Danso, Deputy Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), narrated to DAILY GUIDE that a week ago, Thompson Peter, 48, lodged a complaint at the Sowutuom Police Station that Misbau Amadu broke into his apartment and stole his items.

After taking the statement of Thompson, the police proceeded to the residence of Misbau Amadu to invite him to the station to help investigate the case but he was not available.

On Thursday morning, Thomson again reported that he had spotted the alleged thief in the area and so a detective was dispatched there to apprehend Misbau but he was not seen.

Suspect Thompson alleged that around 9pm that Thursday, Misbau came to his house, armed with knife to attack him for reporting the case to the police.

In the course of the fight, Thompson said he overpowered Misbau and stabbed him in self-defence.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Alhaji Rashid Bawa, has refuted allegations of a xenophobic attack in Nigeria and a subsequent report by Nigerian newspapers that Ghanaians had allegedly killed five Nigerians in protest of the murder of Misbau Amadu.

He said no xenophobic attacks had taken place in Ghana leading to the deaths of Nigerian nationals.

He said in a statement that even though there was an incident at Sowutuom that led to the alleged murder of a Ghanaian by one Thompson Peter, the police quickly arrested him.

“The incident led to some tension between Ghanaians and Nigerian nationals residing in the area, culminating in the police intervention.

“In order to avert an escalation of the situation, the police picked up persons identified as Nigerians and placed them under protective custody,” he narrated.

Alhaji Rashid Bawa said the circulation of the false reports and videos on xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in Ghana started from a Facebook page of one Ifeanyi Ukwuemeka, a Nigerian who claimed to be a resident of the area.

Mr Bawa assured Nigerians that the long-standing peaceful relations between the citizens of the two countries would remain intact and that the relevant authorities would continue to put the requisite measures in place to ensure that all peace-loving Nigerians in Ghana are protected and go about their daily activities without fear.