The National Investigations Bureau (NIB) has withdrawn its personnel from the residence of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, after an attempted arrest on Friday triggered a standoff between security operatives and some supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Kumasi.
The early morning operation saw a joint team of National Security operatives and Police officers surround the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP’s private residence in Kumasi, prompting widespread confusion and tension in the Daban area. The reasons for the raid remain unclear, and authorities have yet to provide a formal explanation.
Chairman Wontumi, who was reportedly inside the house during the operation, is said to have assured the officers that he would honour any official invitation on Monday, May 26, 2025. Despite this, the heavily armed security presence provoked a strong backlash from party loyalists who began gathering at the property in protest.
As the crowd of NPP supporters swelled and chants of defiance rang out, pressure mounted on the security agencies. The NIB subsequently ordered a complete withdrawal of its operatives from the scene, temporarily defusing tensions that had begun to grip the neighbourhood.
Addressing journalists after the withdrawal, the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Secretary and a member of Wontumi’s legal team, Kwame Adom-Appiah, criticised the manner in which the security operation was conducted, calling it “immature” and excessive.
“When you are going to arrest someone and arrive with about 20 vehicles, when the person is neither a coup plotter nor has any intention to overthrow the government, I don’t think it is appropriate,” Adom-Appiah stated.
He further argued that such a show of force was not only wasteful but an unnecessary burden on state resources. “A simple invitation would have sufficed. And even if he failed to honour it, there are proper, lawful ways to effect an arrest.”
Although the immediate tension has subsided following the NIB’s withdrawal, a number of NPP supporters have remained around the residence, insisting on clarity about the motive behind the operation and the legality of the attempted arrest.
Local media reports indicate that a strong police presence continues to secure the compound, as the matter draws national attention ahead of Chairman Wontumi’s expected response to the summons on Monday.
