The Ghana Police Service and Immigration Service have refuted media reports by the Ghanaian Times that 48 alleged ‘terrorists‘ are missing.
Terrorists
The report stated that confusion erupted over the whereabouts of 48 foreigners who were arrested in connection with alleged terrorism and other fraudulent acts in September 2022.
It said while the police claimed the suspects were handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in the Ejisu Municipality to deal with them, the latter insists the police handled the matter.
But the two security institutions in a statement debunked the report by the newspaper.
It said the publication by the Ghanaian Times Newspaper – on the front page and page 12 – of Thursday, January 5, 2023, which story has also since then been carried by other media houses alleging that there is a blame game between the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Immigration Service over the whereabouts of some 48 alleged terrorists.
<img class=”image lazyloaded imgWithMetaData” title=”IGP and Immigration boss” src=”data:;base64,” alt=”IGP and Immigration boss” width=”640″ height=”413″ data-original=”https://ocdn.eu/pulscms-transforms/1/8wpktkpTURBXy8xYjFkZTg2Njg1NWMwMWJkOWFiNWQ0ZmFlNzRmNWIxMC5wbmeRlQLNAoDNAZ3Cww” />
IGP and Immigration boss
We [Police and Immigration Service] wish to state categorically that the said publication is false and should be disregarded. No supposed terrorists have been arrested by the Police and the Ghana Immigration Service, and there is certainly no blame game going on between the two state security agencies as is being falsely claimed by the Ghanaian Times Newspaper, it said.
The security service put on record, for the avoidance of any doubt, that some 48 foreign nationals were arrested by the police and Immigration in two separate operations at Ekyem, Achiase, and Akokoamong near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region in September 2022 for engaging in illegal Network Marketing (QNET).
It added that all 48 suspects were profiled in line with the standard operating procedures of our two institutions and were repatriated to their various home countries between September 26th and September 29, 2022.
The security also urged the public, especially the media, to be circumspect in their use of the term “terrorists” and avoid using the word loosely and irresponsibly, thus creating unwarranted fear and panic in a peaceful society such as ours adding that the two-state security institutions continue to collaborate and partner with each other in the discharge of our respective mandates for the good of our beloved country.