President Mahama urged to halt eviction of 1,900 households in New Ogbojo

The lives of thousands of residents in New Ogbojo, near Madina, a suburb of Accra, are in danger after marauding, hired and armed land guards stormed the area to forcibly evict more than 1,900 households amid a growing human security threat.

Visibly worried residents cited the latest incidents, saying land guards stormed homes on Saturday, September 19, 2026, and Sunday, September 20, 2026, and even attempted to evict residents at dawn on Monday, September 21, 2026.

Following ongoing harassment, attacks and alleged terrorisation, affected landlords, residents and students demonstrated on Monday, September 21, 2026, to draw the attention of President John Dramani Mahama, the Speaker of Parliament, the Interior Minister and the Inspector-General of Police to their plight.

They urged the authorities to swiftly investigate the continuous attacks, intimidation and harassment allegedly carried out by hired land guards.

The residents, operating under the Landlord Association of the New Ogbojo Community, said their homes and livelihoods are under threat.

During a press conference on Monday, September 21, 2026, the leadership of the association, led by Leslie Gyan and Suleman Abdul Rahman, appealed directly to the authorities to intervene in what they described as a growing human security crisis in the New Ogbojo community.

In the full glare of the public, the residents claimed that some land guards even stormed the venue of the press conference and attempted to prevent them from speaking to journalists about the attacks they had suffered in the community.

The visibly worried residents said some families have lived on the land since 1990 and 1992.

The landlords and homeowners presented legal documents and land indentures to support their claim that they legally acquired their properties from the Chief of the New Ogbojo Community.

They claimed that the planned eviction attempts have included the disconnection of electricity and water supplies, the removal of residents' personal belongings and the demolition of apartments.

For families who have spent decades building their lives in the community, the residents lamented that the situation has gone beyond a land dispute and has become a source of fear and uncertainty.

Children affected

The residents disclosed that children in the community have also been caught up in the dispute.

According to them, some schoolchildren have stopped attending classes because of threats allegedly issued by land guards.

They further alleged that school materials belonging to some children were taken from their parents' homes during attempts by land guards and other violent individuals to force families out of the area.

The residents lamented that the situation is particularly distressing for elderly people, children and families who have nowhere else to go.

“A home provides security, dignity, privacy and stability,” the association said, arguing that residents of New Ogbojo St. Peter’s are increasingly being deprived of those basic protections.

Residents accuse security agencies of inaction

The residents said they have formally reported the incidents to the Madina Police Station and subsequently escalated the complaints to units at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters.

These, according to them, include the Property Fraud Unit, the Emergency Command Centre and the Anti-Armed Robbery Department.

The residents said that despite numerous complaints to the security agencies, the harassment, attacks and alleged terrorisation have continued because the police have failed to stop the land guards.

They said they had filed complaints with the relevant police units, but no action had been taken by state security operatives.

They added that it was surprising that the alleged employers of the land guards were still walking free and routinely hiring them to intimidate residents without any legal authorisation or judicial backing.

“As a community, we have taken steps to report these incidents. Any time the police arrive at the scene, the land guards call a man by name Commander Awal Mohammed. After the police engage him, they become powerless and drive away. We want to know the interest of this commander in our land and our community,” the residents complained.

They are therefore calling on the President and the Speaker of Parliament to immediately direct the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Coordinator and the Interior Minister to urgently investigate the matter and ensure the protection of residents.

They also want the authorities to establish whether any person has obtained a lawful court order authorising the eviction or demolition of homes in the New Ogbojo area.

Political claims

The residents further alleged that the estate developer claimed the police were powerless to stop his activities because his political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is currently in government.

The association is nevertheless urging the government to investigate the matter and ensure that political affiliation does not influence the enforcement of the law.

Demonstration

With attempts to resolve the matter through complaints to the security agencies yet to satisfy the residents, thousands of affected landlords took to the streets to voice their concerns.

The demonstration brought together affected homeowners and families who want the government and security agencies to intervene before the situation escalates.

The residents said their objective is not to create conflict but to draw national attention to what they consider a threat to their homes, families and personal safety.

For many families in New Ogbojo, the dispute is no longer simply about ownership of land.

It is about whether they can continue to sleep safely in homes they say they have occupied for decades, whether their children can return to school without fear, and whether they can remain in a community they have built over the years.

The residents are therefore calling for an immediate investigation into the alleged land guard activities, protection for residents and a lawful resolution of the underlying land dispute.