Ghana is safe – IGP declares

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante-Apeatu, has assured the public and the international community that Ghana is safe.

He said there was, therefore, no cause of alarm and gave an assurance that the police and the other security agencies were ready to deal with any security breaches.

He was briefing the media in Accra on Tuesday following the arrest of three persons for allegedly possessing objects believed to be explosives of varied species at Agape Down, near Ablekuma, and Kwashibu, near Lapaz, in Accra last Monday.

“I wish to assure you and all Ghanaians, as well as the international community, to remain calm as we investigate this matter of the police seizure,” he said.

Objects size

The IGP said although the objects seized were believed to be grenades of some kind, investigations were underway to quickly establish their true nature.

He said the case was being treated with all the seriousness it deserved, as scores of investigators and specialists had been dispatched to various locations to gather more information.

 He said the police were working together with the relevant agencies to get to the bottom of the matter.

“Our investigations seek to answer questions such as whether these persons are terrorists, whether they have linkages with any terrorist group, how they obtained the objects, their sources of potential allies and many more,” he said.

Nationality of suspects

Mr Asante-Apeatu said the names and nationalities of the three suspects were being withheld for security reasons for now but would be confirmed in due course.

He expressed the appreciation of the police to the public for their assistance and for remaining calm and appealed to persons with any information to contact the police or call the emergency lines 191 or 18555.

When questioned as to whether those arrested were foreigners with links to ISIS, as speculated earlier through social media and the airwaves, the IGP responded that the police could not say anything for now because the matter was under investigation.

Background

Three persons were last Monday arrested for allegedly possessing objects believed to be explosives of varied species at Agape Down, near Ablekuma, and Kwashibu, near Lapaz, in Accra.

They are Abdul Karim, 30; Osman Alhassan, 33, and Ismaila Ali, 32, who was alleged to be a member of ISIS.

The three are suspected to be Malian and Libyan nationals who have lived in Ghana for years.

Ali, who is the leader of the gang, is said to be the supplier of the weapons and sells one grenade for GH¢5,000 or above, speaks fluent Arabic, Fanti and Ga.

According to sources close to the police, Ali had sold an unspecified quantity of the weapons to many people in some conflict-prone areas in the country.

Intelligence

The Odorkor Divisional Police Command, upon intelligence gathered, is said to have dispatched 13 policemen from its Police Patrol Unit to effect the arrest of the suspects.

After trailing the suspects for three days, the police finally arrested Karim, known to be a notorious land guard and robber, at Agape Down.

When his house was searched, the police found seven green oval-looking items suspected to be lethal weapons and the suspected weapons were meticulously collected and taken to the Odorkor Police Station by the patrol team.

Karim subsequently led the police to his supplier, Ali, who was arrested, along with Osman, in a house at Kwashibu, near the Kata Hostel.