Uniformed men were not attracted by gun shots, they started it - By-election violence victim

The uniformed, masked men involved in clashes at the La Bawaleshie polling centre sparked violence entirely on their own, contrary to claims that they were attracted by gunshots from the residence of the NDC candidate, NDC branch chairman for Ayawaso North, Hamidu Amadu has said.

Testifying before the Commission of Inquiry Thursday, Amadu who says he was tasked to supply food - rice water and bread - to his party polling agents insisted that the men, numbering about 30 arrived while he and his men were packing the food into a Mahindra vehicle for distribution.

He explained that he together with his four colleagues were asked to lie flat on the floor by these men, after which one of them proceeded to take out their vehicle's ignition key.

Subsequently, he stood up and confronted the gentleman who told him they had been tasked to conduct a search.

"I demanded an explanation and they said they were warranted to search the car. I asked for a search warrant and they showed me a tag around their neck," he said.

He was confronted by another of the men who suggested his colleague slapped him rather than tolerate questions, after which he doubted their authority and raised an alarm.

An argument ensued following this and one of the masked men fired his gun about six times when he realised the crowd was amassing after his (Amadu's) earlier alert, he explained.

At this point, according to him, he together with his colleagues run into hiding till the firing ceased.

He explained that he saw Ningo Prampram MP, Sam George from his hideout, approached him and told him about the taken key. The MP then took over from there to demand the key.