The recent military brutalities in Garu, Ghana, has come under scrutiny as members of the Minority in Parliament question the authority behind the decision to deploy the troops.
James Agalga, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defense and Interior Committee, has raised concerns about the necessity of the military presence in Garu, where a vehicle was fired at and later grounded at the local police station.
Agalga voiced his concerns during a parliamentary session on November 2.
“Mr. Speaker, listening to the facts, was it necessary to deploy the army in Garu in the first place? A vehicle was fired at, a vehicle was grounded at the police station. The police returned fire, as I am reliably informed, and all the people who had gathered around the police station took to their heels. So, therefore, the threat had effectively been neutralized. So the question is, who issued the order for the military to besiege Garu?” he said.
The incident in question took place on October 29, with reports indicating that a group of military personnel conducted a dawn raid in Garu, during which they allegedly assaulted local residents.
The Ghana Armed Forces has defended their actions, claiming that the military operation was in response to an attack by irate youth on national security operatives in the area.
In an official statement, the Ministry of National Security refuted the claims made by the residents, asserting that the operation was a joint effort to seize weapons following an October 24 attack by a vigilante group in Garu.
Meanwhile, Albert Alalzuuga Akuka, the Member of Parliament for Garu and Tempane, has also demanded answers regarding the whereabouts of residents who were apprehended during a recent military operation in the constituency.
He condemned the act as an unacceptable violation of citizens’ rights and called for urgent government intervention to address the issue.
Source: ghanaweb.com
