Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has disclosed that government has identified the sources of funding of the separatists group agitating for independence in the Volta Region, saying efforts are underway to track them.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah said this over the weekend during the ‘Meet-the-Press’ series in Accra.
The Minister urged residents in the affected areas to remain calm and volunteer information on the hideouts of any other suspects to the police to enable their arrest.
Public education
Whilst indicating that government would soon be educating the people on the history of the Western Togoland, he also commended the chiefs and traditional leaders for condemning the rebellious activities of the separatist group.
He said persons behind the notorious activities would have their identities published in the media to facilitate their arrest.
He also debunked assertions that there was intelligence failure on the part of security agencies.
According to him, members of the group had been on the watch list of the security agencies and were being monitored from time to time.
“Government is taking steps to deal with threats of succession expressed by a group in the Volta Region and in particular the events of Friday, September 25 2020. Now in recent months the activities of this group have gained notoriety even as government has been responding with appropriate force and the rule of law. The events on Friday morning have been as at now contained by the security agencies. Efforts are also underway to contain our standing threats from this group,” he said.
More arrest
Meanwhile, a police reinforcement team from the Formed Police Unit in Accra have arrested four more persons suspected to have been part of the disturbances recorded in parts of the Volta Region last Friday.
The four were arrested in an ongoing operation in the area after the Aveyime and Mepe Police stations were attacked and officers on duty tortured by individuals believed to be members of secessionist group.
According to the Police, 14 AK-47 rifles and five pump-action guns were stolen by the rebellious group after they attacked Aveyime Police Station, freeing cell inmates and locking up officers on duty at the time.
The police are also combing through North Tongu District in search of the remaining 13 AK-47 rifles and the five pump-action guns that are suspected to be in the hands of the rebellious group after the attack on the Aveyime Police Station.
Leader of the police troupe from the Form Police Unit, DSP Johnson Bediako, told the media his men would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that peace returns to the area.
“The situation is under control and the situation is calm in the area. Since the attack on the police and the district assembly, there hasn’t been any further attack on any facility since we came in.
“We have managed to stabilize security so far in the area. We have managed to pick about four people for interrogation based on intelligence we gathered. But the community should be assured of stability because the police are in the area and there are no fears,” he said.
Source: dailystatesman.com.gh/Paul Nyojah Dalafu
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