The Ghana Police Service and Ghana Immigration Service have responded to media publications alleging that there is a blame game between the two state security institutions over the whereabouts of the 48 alleged terrorists.
In a joint statement, the two institutions implored the public to disregard media publications saying the publication is false.
“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 institution as falsely proclaimed by the Ghanaian Times Newspaper”, the statement read.
It continued, ” We will like to put on record for the avoidance of any doubt that some 48 foreign nationals were arrested by the Police and the Immigration Service in two separate operations at Ekyem, Achia, and Akokoamong near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region in September 2022 for engaging in illegal Network Marketing (QNIET)”.
The statement further indicated that all 48 suspects were profiled in line with the standard operating procedure of the two institutions and were repatriated to their various home countries between September 26th and September 29th, 2022.
It would be recalled, that 21 of the suspects were arrested on September 22, while the remaining 27 were arrested on September 24, 2022, in a special operation.
Information gathered indicated that they were said from Niger, Nigeria, Kenya, and Mali.
The arrest was made at Ekyem, a community in the Ejisu Municipality, based on a tip-off.
The investigation was focused on whether they had links to any terrorist group, following recent terrorist acts in some of the neighboring countries.
Some of the suspects were placed in police custody at Fumesua and others at Donyina and Ejisu
However local newspaper report indicates that there has been some confusion over the whereabouts of 48 foreigners who were arrested in connection with alleged terrorism and other fraudulent acts in September, last year between the two state security institutions.
“While the police claimed the suspects were handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in the Ejisu Municipality to deal with them, the latter insists the police handled the matter” the report added.
The report further asserted that a police source at the Ejisu Divisional Police Command told the Ghanaian Times in a follow-up exercise that the operation to arrest the suspects was carried out by the GIS.
The press release by the two state security institutions has beseeched the media to be circumspect on the use of “terrorism” and avoid using loose irresponsibly which will create unwarranted tension and panic in the country.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke