Members of the Tempane District Assembly in the Upper East Region have called for a full-scale investigation into what they describe as unprovoked brutalities meted out to innocent citizens by military personnel.
The alleged brutalities by military personnel followed the fatal shooting of two Immigration officers at Nagani.
In a joint press statement signed and issued by 25 Assembly Members last Tuesday, the group condemned both the attack on the Immigration officers and the alleged assault on civilians in Basyonde, Bugnating and Domeabra communities.
The Assembly Members said that while they were still processing the news of the Immigration officers’ shooting, they received reports of widespread assaults on civilians in Basyonde and surrounding communities by armed military personnel the following day.
“We were hit with yet another devastating news on November 3, 2025, that innocent citizens of the Basyonde Electoral Area, Bugnating, and Domeabra were brutalised by military men in uniform,” the statement said.
They said the incident occurred on a market day when traders and residents were allegedly surrounded and beaten by soldiers who stormed the area without warning.
“Several people fled their homes, leaving behind their goods and properties. Many sustained injuries and were treated at the Basyonde Health Centre,” they added.
The statement also alleged that a separate group of armed men raided a local drinking spot, known as Rasta Drinking Spot, at Bugnating, where several young men were beaten and arrested. Others were reportedly assaulted at Domeabra, near the Tempane Chief’s Palace.
Basis
The Assembly Members questioned the basis of the military’s operation, insisting that the alleged attacks were unjustified and poorly informed.
“If the undemocratic brutalities meted out to the innocent citizens are assumed to be linked to the November 2 shooting incident at Nagani, which is about 10 kilometres away from Basyonde and over 20 kilometres from Domeabra and Bugnating, what intelligence informed the Ghana Armed Forces that innocent citizens were the perpetrators of the crime?” they queried.
They further asked why the military failed to focus its search efforts towards the Ghana–Togo border, where the actual shooting occurred, instead of assaulting residents far from the scene.
“A serious security intelligence operation should have been ‘star-linked’, taking into account the situation around the Sahel regional borders, not this lazy approach of brutalising vulnerable citizens,” the statement added.
Demand for investigation
The Assembly Members urged the government and the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces to act swiftly to restore public confidence and ensure justice for the victims.
“We are therefore demanding a full investigation, arrest, and prosecution of the perpetrators of the brutalities in Basyonde, Domeabra and Bugnating, and the restraint of the military or any other security unit from further abusing or subjecting citizens to inhumane treatment,” they demanded.
They also called for compensation for the victims and the payment of medical bills for those currently receiving treatment.
The Assembly Members expressed shock and sadness over the shooting of the two Immigration officers on Sunday night, November 2, 2025, by unknown assailants at Nagani, which borders Togo and lies about 10 kilometres from Basyonde.
“Violence against any citizen, especially officers in uniform, is an affront to our democracy, and we demand a full investigation and prosecution of the attackers,” they said.
