Police will deal with vigilante groups – IGP

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) David Asante-Apeatu has sent a stern warning to vigilante groups affiliated to political parties to desist from acts of lawlessness else will face the wrath of the police.

Vigilante groups affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been on rampage since the change of government with the recent being an attack on the District Chief Executive of Karaga and the Youth Employment Agency director Alhassan Yabdoo and Mohammed Osman respectively.

Interacting with journalists in Accra Thursday, the head of the Ghana Police Service said his outfit will not treat the hoodlums lightly because the law is no respecter of persons.

“We are not overwhelmed,” Asante-Apeatu stressed.

“If you are from a political party and commit a crime we’re going to deal with you accordingly,” the IGP emphasised. “When crime happens we don’t give it any colour; it’s crime and we deal with it as such.”

According to him, most of the crimes happen on the blind side of the police but the law enforcement agency has been swift in maintaining law and order.

“It’s our mandate to ensure law and order, but what somebody intends doing we are unable to prevent it but it is for us to respond accordingly. I don’t think it’s possible to have a crime-free society, they will occur but our response and how we are able to manage it is what is important,” he noted.

About 18 attacks under the aegis of vigilante groups linked to the NPP have taken place in Ghana since December 2016.

On Tuesday, supporters of feuding executives of the NPP in the Karaga constituency clashed vandalizing party installation, an alleged military van and invading a police station in a spread of violence that continues to rock the Northern region.

The violence began Monday afternoon with an attack on the Youth Employment coordinator who is also the constituency youth organizer, Mohamed Baba, over the appointment of some youth into the security service.

The party constituency executives have stayed sharply divided and tension has escalated since the DCE for the area took office.