Police disperse Koku Anyidoho supporters with teargas and water

The police resorted to the use of teargas and water canons to disperse supporters of Koku Anyidoho, who amassed at the CID headquarters chanting and demanding his release after he was arrested Tuesday afternoon for allegedly making treasonable statements.

Koku Anyidoho's supporters had taken over the main road (Ring Road East) infront of the police headquarters and were impeding the flow of traffic towards Ako Adjei interchange and Danquah Circle.

The police had a tough time controlling the supporters who wanted to follow the Deputy General Secretary to the CID yard. 

By so doing, the supporters caused traffic jam, as some of them prevented vehicles from moving.

While some women lay in the middle of the road, some well-built (macho) men blocked vehicular movement by forming a human chain across the street. 

Some personnel from the Formed Police Unit (FPU), armed with riot control gears, had a tough time, trying to move the supporters from the street. 

Read also: Police arrest Koku Anyidoho over coup comments

Graphic Online's Isaac Yeboah reported that the supporters overwhelmed the police such that they used stones and police barricades to block the road and that not even motorbikes could move.

As a result, a reinforcement team from the Formed Police Unit (FPU) led by Chief Superintendent Kwesi Ofori in charge of police Greater Accra operations charged on the supporters and dispersed them with teargas and hot water.

The police, drove their riot vans towards the supporters to disperse them from infront of the CID headquarters to allow traffic to flow.

In the melee, a driver from Atinka TV, Ernest Ofori and a woman from Nungua, Martha were hit by teargas canisters.

Ofori on his part was hit in both legs which led to a swollen leg whilst Martha was hit in the back of her thigh.

Related: Photos: Police seize Koku Anyidoho

Koku Anyidoho, the Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been detained by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) pending investigations into his statement that President Akufo-Addo was likely to suffer the fate of his father who was overthrown as President by a military coup in 1972.

“Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself,” the NDC firebrand said.

“On the January 13, 1972 a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addo’s father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. There’ll be a civil revolt. There’ll be a people’s movement. During President John Mahama’s tenure didn’t we receive similar threats from the likes of Let My Vote Count and OccupyGhana,” the former presidential spokesperson opined.

Mr Koku Anyidoho added: “There’ll be a civilian coup d’etat; there’ll be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He [Akufo-Addo] will be fed up at the Presidency.”

Read also: Govt's statement on Koku Anyidoho's "coup" comments

Koku Anyidoho was arrested at about 1:25pm, after a press conference organised by the Inter-Party Coalition for National Sovereignty in Accra.

The press conference was organised by the group towards its planned protest march on Wednesday, March 28 against the Ghana-US military cooperation agreement.

Shortly after the press conference, two men, in plain clothes, who identified themselves as police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), requested Mr Anyidoho to follow them to the Police headquarters for questioning.

Some of the leaders of the NDC, who were present at the press conference, objected to the police invitation, and said they were apprehensive about the activities of vigilante groups affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

They, therefore, refused to allow the police to arrest Mr Anyidoho.

The determination of the police to arrest Mr Anyidoho and the objections by some party leaders created a scene at the press center.

The situation was exacerbated by the fact that some of the policemen, in plain clothes, according to some of the party supporters, did not give reasons why they wanted to arrest Koku Anyidoho.

The police brought in about 10 policemen, led by Chief Superintendent Kwesi Ofori, to contain the confusion that was gradually emerging.

After some verbal exchanges, Mr Anyidoho decided to respond to the police invitation, but he refused to ride in the police Land Cruiser vehicle.

Rather, he decided to walk to the CID headquarters, about 1200 metres from the press center, in the company of some police personnel and some officials of the NDC including Kofi Portuphy and Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Chairman and General Secretary respectively.

Also with them was Mr Bernard Mornah, National Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC).

At the CID headquarters, the police had a tough time controlling the supporters who wanted to follow the Deputy General Secretary to their premises.

House search

Koku Anyidoho was later accompanied by police investigators to his house near Oyarifa, to search it after which he was taken to the CID headquarters for further interrogation.

He was still at the CID headquarters as of 8pm.

Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh

Follow @enochfrimpong