Ablekuma North rerun: Police arrest suspects disguised as security officers
The Ghana Police Service has arrested a group of individuals posing as security officers near the Awoshie DVLA polling station in the Ablekuma North Constituency, where a parliamentary election rerun is taking place.
The suspects, who were dressed in brown uniforms resembling official security attire, failed to produce valid identification when confronted by officers deployed to maintain order at the polling centre.
They were subsequently taken into custody at the Odorkor Police Station for further questioning.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ga West and Dean of Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Greater Accra Region, John Desmond Nii Sowah Nai, confirmed the arrests in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM.
He noted that initial findings suggest the suspects do not belong to any recognised state security agency.
Police say investigations are underway to determine the true identities of the individuals and their motive for allegedly impersonating security personnel near the voting centre.
Background to the rerun
Friday’s parliamentary rerun in Ablekuma North follows a directive by the Electoral Commission of Ghana to re-conduct voting at 19 polling stations within the constituency due to irregularities and disputes during the original December 2024 general election.
The rerun has heightened tensions in the constituency, with both the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) mobilising supporters and election observers to ensure a free and fair process. The poll is a contest between Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Awurabena Aubynn of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Security concerns have been a major issue ahead of the rerun. Earlier this week, the Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, assured the public that there would be no deployment of military personnel for the exercise, with the Ghana Police Service solely responsible for maintaining law and order.
