The Ashanti Regional Police Commander, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye says the discovery of explosive-like materials in Kumasi should not cause fear and panic among residents of Kumasi.
His comment follows rumours being propagated in mainstream and social media in the city about the incident.
The police chief, in an interview with DAILY GUIDE, said the police and the military were in control of the security situation in the Ashanti Region and that the bomb scare had failed to cause panic.
According to him, the police and security operatives are investigating circumstances under which explosive-like materials were dropped on the streets, near the wall of the National Security Communication Building in Kumasi and would not be distracted by current propaganda.
“Elections are coming. Let everybody know that the police will be vigilant, neutral, fair and firm to deal with any group of persons engaging in acts bordering on criminality. We will use any means possible to subdue any force that attempts to offend the law,” COP Boakye affirmed.
Minister’s Account
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Minister, John Alexander Ackon, has called on residents of the Garden City to calm down, as the security agents carry out their professional duties.
The Minister, in a release to the media, said all law-abiding citizens should transact their legitimate business without fear.
He explained that on Monday, October 31, 2016 at about 4:25 pm, one Ex WO1 Boadi went to 4BN in Kumasi and reported that two boxes believed to be containing explosives had been found behind the wall of the National Security Communication Building at Danyame.
The statement said on receipt of the information, the military informed the police and subsequently deployed men to the scene.
Mr. Ackon narrated that the personnel, after a careful assessment of the object in the boxes “implemented a mitigating measure by packing sand bags round the boxes containing the suspected improvised explosive devices.”
The move was to mitigate the effects of possible detonation of the explosives. The area was subsequently cordoned off by the police personnel of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, it stated.
The Regional Minister said later explosive ordinance disposal team successfully defused the “Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).”
According to him, two 7.5 kg LPG cylinders filled with gas, a timer device, remote control, two explosive boosters, two safety fuses, two detonators and two dynamites were found in the boxes.
“One cylinder had the detonator connected to the dynamite and the experts claim it would have taken two to three minutes to explode if the detonator had been pressed,” the statement said.
The second cylinder had a remote control and timer which had not been connected. The suspicion is that the suspects, who were on motorbike, were planting the device around the buildings and escaped upon been questioned by a police officer on duty at the Minister’s residence.
“The expert believe the first could have been detonated and the second one to follow to create multiple explosions or the motive was to harm many people by pressing the detonator to explode the dynamite,” the statement added.
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