The Northern Regional Police Command says it would conduct an operation in the town of Bole to arrest gunmen operating along Ghana’s border with Ivory Coast. Northern Regional Police PRO, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh said persons in possession of firearms that are not registered are engaging in illegality.
Speaking to Joy News Friday, the police PRO said they would map out a strategy to drive out all persons operating illegally in Bole.
The reaction of the police comes on the heels of an investigation conducted by Joy News’ Kwetey Nartey into activities of some gunmen operating in the community.
He visited the area and reported that illegal gold mining in small towns such as Dollar Power and Bole Accra have attracted former Ivorian rebels who have mounted check points at some vantage points to extort money from passers-by. The activities of the rebels have become a major concern for residents who told the reporter that they are constantly living in fear.
Their lands which used to be farms have been converted to mining grounds with over thousand illegal miners engaged in the activities.
“Every blessed day our lives are always at risk [because] you don’t know what will happen,” one resident said.
“This road is dangerous and sometimes we fight with them,” another said, adding none of the residents have been shot in the engagement before.
The rebels have grown bold to the extent that in 2016, some gunmen attacked members of the Bole District Security Council killing a soldier and a mother. But the Police Command said it is ready to bring an end to the activities of the gunmen in order to restore peace in the area.
“We have conducted large scale operations before and it has led to the arrest of several persons including persons who are not Ghanaians,” ASP Tetteh said. He said they are going to look at the whole “gamut of those activities and when we get to the river we will cross.”
He was emphatic that, however, benevolent services the gunmen are providing in the communities, their activities are not sanctioned by the Police.
Chairman of Parliament’s Committee on Defence and Interior, Major retired Derrick Oduro in an interview with Prince Minkah host of Joy FM’s Midday news programme Friday expressed worry.
“Rebel activities are security threat to the country because they are holding guns illegally. They are a threat to Ivory Coast because they can go and do some attacks and this might create border conflict,” he said.
He said the Committee would study the situation and call on the appropriate national institutions to address the issue.
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