The three suspects INSET: The grenades
Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Apeatu, has confirmed that the explosives seized from three persons, including a self-confessed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) member, by the Odorkor Police are grenades of some kind.
Some of the grenades are said to have landed in unauthorized hands.
According to the IGP, the police had commenced investigations into the whereabouts of the missing grenades.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday at the police headquarters in Accra, Mr Asante-Apeatu urged the public to remain calm, as they (police) investigate the matter.
Three persons are currently in police custody for having in their possession explosives believed to be grenades.
The ISIS member was named by the police as Ishmael Ali Musa, 31; Abdul Karim, 30 – believed to be a notorious land guard and suspected armed robber, as well as Osman Alhassan, 33, from Mali.
Police intelligence led to the arrest of Abdul Karim at Agape Down, near Ablekuma Monday morning where seven varied species of the grenades (bombs) were retrieved.
Information gathered indicated that the suspects, who had been working together for the past year, imported 20 of the grenades from Libya and were said to be selling them.
“Our investigations seek to answer questions such as whether these persons were terrorists, whether they have linkage with any terrorist group, how they obtained the objects, their sources, potential allies and many others,” Mr Asante-Apeatu said.
He revealed that the police administration is treating the matter with utmost seriousness and had dispatched scores of investigators and specialists to various locations where some of the grenades are believed to be kept.
“Investigators have now made a total of three arrests of persons, whose nationality would be confirmed later; and I would like to thank the public for their assistance and for remaining calm,” he posited.
Police sources have indicated that the suspects reportedly imported the grenades, including other weapons like AK 47 rifles, side arm pistols and some quantities of ammunition from Libya for sale.
Abdul Karim, the reported custodian of the grenades, upon his arrest, led the police to Kata Hotel, near Nyamekye in Accra, where his supposed master – Ishmael Ali Musah – was hiding and was arrested.
Ishmael Ali Musah was with Osman Alhassan, and were both grabbed.
They admitted that so far, 13 grenades, together with all the weapons, had already been sold in Ghana.
“They also mentioned three communities in Accra where the said grenades were,” the source averred, but did not name the communities for investigation purposes.
The police are currently working with the military to retrieve the 13 grenades currently in the hands of unauthorized persons in the country.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey