DCOP Wisdom Lavoe
The Northern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Wisdom Lavoe, has assured residents of Tamale that the Regional Police Command will sustain the work of the Inspector General of Police (IGP’s) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, Special Operations Team after the unit’s withdrawal.
“We will never relent in that effort and no vacuum will be created. We are going to take over and we are assuring the public that they can go on with their normal duties without any fear,” DCOP Lavoe said.
He issued a strong warning to criminals saying “Any criminal who thinks that the departure of the IGP’s Special Operations Team has created an opportunity to operate should get ready, because we will be on the ground day and night and when they are arrested they will be prosecuted,” he stated.
DCOP Lavoe, appealed to the public to volunteer information to assist the police in maintaining security.
The assurance follows a directive from IGP Yohuno ordering the Special Operations Team to return to Accra from Tamale immediately.
The reason for the directive has not been disclosed, however, there are claims that some prominent individuals in Tamale influenced the withdrawal, and there are rumours that the team’s operations have made the governing NDC unpopular in the region.
Residents expressed disappointment at the team’s departure adding that its presence had helped tackle illicit drug issues and reduced crime in Tamale and surrounding areas.
The Special Operations Team had conducted operations targeting drug peddlers and abusers, robbers, thieves, gang members and others engaged in criminal activity.
Before leaving the region, DSP Bawah Abdul Jalil, leader of the Special Operations Team, told officers at a parade that GH¢ 932,800.00 had been paid in fines to the Judicial Service following successful prosecutions.
He said nine persons have been convicted, receiving sentences ranging from 15 months to 15 years, while other suspects remain on remand as their cases proceed through the courts.
Some youth groups in Tamale in the Northern region have gathered over 1,000 signatures to petition the IGP to redeploy the Special Operations Team back to the region.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale