The arrest of three South African nationals brought in secretly by the NPP to train personnel purportedly to guard the New Patriotic Party, NPP Flagbearer and his Vice is sending shivers down the spine of Ghanaians. Security experts say this must be thoroughly investigated and dealt with swiftly. The NPP has attempted to rubbish serious concerns raised insisting the men being trained are going to be engaged in crowd control as the popularity of Nana Akufo Addo grows.
One of NPP’s Deputy Director of Communications, Perry Okudzeto told Accra-based Joy FM the party doesn’t need clearance from government or the Interior Ministry to be specific to bring the SA African suspects currently in the custody of national security into the country.
The three Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis (retd), 54; Warrant Officer Denver Dwayhe, 33, and Captain Mlungiseli Jokani, 45 — were picked up at the EL-Capitano Hotel. They had been training about 12 Ghanaians in security drills, including unarmed combat, weapon handling, VIP protection techniques and rapid response manoeuvres. The activity was taking place at Agona Dunkwaw far away from the national capital. The facility in which they were lodging belongs to a registered private security firm, Delta Force.
Besides, the following were found in Hazis’ possession. A comprehensive report on the operations of Superlock Technologies Limited (STL) and most alarming, a detailed profile of all the workers of STL, both past and present, and identified key staff members, assessing their strengths and vulnerabilities.
Remember the STL is the company engaged by the Electoral Commission (EC) for the transmission of collated results to the EC during the 2012 general election.
There is nothing wrong for the NPP to engage private security men to protect their leaders. But why will they be training them in the bush, faraway Agona Dunkwaw. The party argues the men are being trained for crowd control as Nana Addo’s popularity increases.
Nana Akufo Addo’s campaign strategy is an open secret. He hasn’t been active on the ground and the Police Service has offered him adequate security wherever he has been so far, the Thank You Tour, the Ride and Build Tour etc.
No incidence of violence, or difficulty in controlling crowds have been raised. Has the NPP lost confidence in the Police Service, has it made it public or formally lodged complaint?
The suspects reportedly entered the country as businessmen. Good, but do they have working permit, who issued them the visas? Delta Force which is fronting for the NPP must answer the following questions….How does it train its recruits? Are the VVIP escorts trained separately, why Agona Dunkwaw, Why were the national security operatives denied easy access to the suspects? Is the company hiding anything?
More so they had in their possession profiles of staff of STL. The same company NPP alleged in 2012 helped the NDC to ‘steal’ the elections. Why STL documents? Why were they digging the vulnerability of staff? How did they get those documents? Aren’t those profiled at risk in this era of terrorist attacks and hit men hired to eliminate people?
Security expert and lecturer at the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Center, Dr Nicholas Okine is cautioning the state security to be on high alert. He told Accra-based Joy FM such militia groups easily transform into rebel groups.
“If you are a soldier for that matter, you can just come to Ghana and say you have come to train people. That request should come formally from the Interior Ministry. After training them in weapon handling and so on where are they going to get the weapons from, and under what command or control structure are they going to operate?” he asked.
He told Joy News Francis Abban there are people out there planning to foment trouble and the state must be worried. Dr Okine was blunt in condemning the activity warning of grave consequences if security agencies are not extra alert.
The development has put NPP again in the spotlight because of pronouncements threatening mayhem by its activist. MP for Assin,. Kennedy Agyapong, National Organizer, John Boadu have gone public asking party supporters not to trust the election security taskforce and attack people on the day of voting. Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, aspiring MP for Adenta told Accra based OKAY FM on Tuesday NPP won’t take calls for peace in 2016 for granted. Other party communicators and affiliate pressure groups have subtly been inciting the public of mayhem if the EC does not act on their demands.
Has anyone thought about how Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram and other militias within the sub-region sprang up?
