It is dangerous to join a proceeding security convoy uninvited - don't act like a secu 'cum intel illiterate'

This morning, I feel obliged and obligated to once again pick up my phone to scribble a little common sense for the benefit of many of our drivers on our roads most of whom sadly are security officers who should know better who jump into any convoy that comes their way when they find themselves trapped in traffic.

To these groups of individuals -Secu cum Intel illiterates - I want to take the opportunity to remind, or to advise that it is a great risk to join a proceeding convoy uninvited and worse of all - to refuse to stop when you are ordered to do so.

Most Ghanaian drivers in my humble estimation, are Secu cum Intel "illiterate". Who will see a convoy in procession which they have no idea where it is headed and who is in it, will join uninvited.

They have no idea the grievous risk they place on themselves and other occupants of their vehicles as well as the proceeding convoy. They don't know they could be mistaken for an "enemy on pursuit" who could be shot like a dog.

A convoy like I indicated recently in write up is a group of vehicles that travel together from point to another typically accompanied by armed troops, or other vehicles for protection.

When these armed troops feel threatened by the presence of "alien or invited vehicles" especially those who refuse to stop when they are ordered to do so, could open fire in pre-emptive self defence and protection of their VVIP and the entire convoy which is their primary responsibility, duty and purpose for being part of the convoy.

To this end, two Secu cum Intel terminologies require explanation here.

These terms are;

Self Defence

Pre-emptive Attack

A pre-emptive attack is an attack that is commenced in an attempt to repel or defeat a perceived imminent offensive attack by an enemy to gain a strategic advantage in an impending attack shortly before that attack materializes. It is an attack that pre-emptively repels an attack.

Similarly, pre-emptive attack is a military doctrine whereby an individual or state claims the right to launch an offensive attack on a potential enemy before that enemy has had the chance to carry out an attack.

In war studies, it is also referred to as "Jus Cogens"

Jus Cogens is peremptory norm and a fundamental principle of international law that is accepted by the international community of states as a norm from which no derogation is permitted.

Self-defence, on the other hand, is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself and or a team in this case a convoy and the VVIP from imminent danger or harm.

It evolves the use of the right of self-defence countermeasures as a legal justification for the use of force and arms in times of danger which is available in many jurisdictions.

There are essentially four elements required for self-defence to be justified and this can be found when uninvited vehicles on pursuit of a proceeding convoy refuses to stop and these are: (1) an unprovoked attack (2) which threatens imminent injury or death, and (3) an objectively reasonable degree of force, used in response to (4) an objectively reasonable fear of injury or death.

It is important to establish that any proceeding convoy that feels, perceives observable danger of being in a potentially dangerous situation of an imminent attack or "planned accident" reserves the right to take the necessary steps to protect the VVIP (Principal) and the entire convoy.

It is in light of this that I thought it wise to scribble these few lines for the benefit of the Secu cum Intel "illiterates" of our society especially the driving public.