"The vigilante groups will explode in 2020 if we do not stop them" – Kofi Boakye

General News on Thursday, January 17, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-01-17

The Director General of the Bureau of Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS), Nathan Kofi Boakye, warned against an escalation of violence during the 2020 electoral period if the country fails to limit the activities political self-defense groups.

Political violence is a growing concern as political parties actively sanction various self-defense groups and their operations.

Whether for the capture of institutions and state institutions or for the physical abuse of appointees and innocent citizens, political self-defense groups are increasingly rooted in the country's political organ.

But during an annual New Year School session, the hard-talking policeman said that Ghana was about to explode.

"If the political violence is not stopped now, from 2020, there will be an explosion … Like yesterday, there was the formation of Eastern Mambas and because of the spirit of 39, vigilantism-related business, by 2020, you will hear about Ivor Flakes, Kwesi Anning Tigers now people will form groups to hire. "

"I have to tell you that these self-defense groups are not loyal to any of the parties … When I see some of these groups of self-defense groups, I grit their teeth because I know them personally. The police administration since time immemorial is ready to fight any crime. What we are seeing now is political brutality within parties.

Speaking at the same event, Dr. Kwesi Aning, a security badyst, said he was concerned about the gradual infiltration of political self-defense groups by radicalized groups.

"I see a more organized approach to activism and its violence. I think some groups have been hijacked, especially the invincible ones. "

"More and more, we are witnessing infiltration of more radicalized groups and more dangerous groups and we are going to witness a transformation of these increasingly tame groups against those who established them, and ultimately against the state. from Ghana. This is not the story of Ananse. We have seen it in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Ivorian will resurface. "

A number of attacks were organized by self-defense groups under the previous administration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

The minority blamed President Nana Addo for not treating vigilantism as commander-in-chief of Ghana's armed forces.

Among the attacks perpetrated by self-defense groups under the administration of Nana Addo include the attack of the director of Tamale University Hospital and the attack of the court of the Delta Force, among others.