The Ghana Police and Ghana Immigration Services have denied media reports that 48 suspected terrorists who were arrested in the Ashanti Region last year cannot be traced in the country.
A Ghanaian Times report of Thursday (5 January) said the two security agencies have been arguing over the whereabouts of the 48 alleged terrorists, now said to be missing.
However, in a joint statement issued a few hours after the publication, the police and immigration said the story 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,” the statement said.
The two security agencies, however, confirmed the arrests of the 48 foreign nationals in September 2022 but will not link them to terrorist activities.
“We would like to put on record, for the avoidance of any doubt, that some 48 foreign nationals were arrested by the police and the 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),” the agencies said.
“All 48 suspects were profiled in line with standard operating procedures of our two institutions and were repatriated to their various home countries between 26 September and 29 September 2022,” the statement added.
Below is the full statement:
GHANA POLICE SERVICE AND GHANA IMMIGRATION SERVICE REFUTE GHANAIAN TIMES PUBLICATION ON THE WHEREABOUTS OF SOME 48 ALLEGED TERRORISTS
1. The attention of the Police Service and Immigration Service has been drawn to a publication by the Ghanaian Times newspaper – on the front page and page 12 – of Thursday 5 January 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.
2. We 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.
3. We would like to put on record, for the avoidance of any doubt, that some 48 foreign nationals were arrested by the police and the 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).
4. All 48 suspects were profiled in line with standard operating procedures of our two institutions and were repatriated to their various home countries between 26 September and 29 September 2022.
5. We would like to urge the public, especially the media, to be circumspect in their use of the term “terrorists” and avoid using the word loosely and irresponsibly, and thus create unwarranted fear and panic in a peaceful society such as ours.
6. Our 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.
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