The Ashanti Regional Police Command has commenced investigation into circumstances surrounding the violent clash between protesting youth of Ejura in the Ashanti Region and security personnel leading to the death of two persons and four sustaining various degrees of injury.
A statement issued by the police indicated that following the burial of Ibrahim Mohammed aka Kaaka who was murdered last week, at Mempeasem Cemetary of Ejura on Tuesday, some irate youth blocked the main Ejura Atebubu road thereby impeding traffic.
“The Police moved in with military reinforcement to quell the situation but the irate youth charged on the security officers with all manner of implements including firearms, clubs, machetes and stones.”
“The security officials fired shots to disperse the angry mob who failed to retreat but rather massed up at all corners. The death and injuries were recorded in the process,” the police statement said.
The police stated that the security situation at 3:30 pm was tense but indicated reinforcement has been brought in to ensure total stability.
The Regional Command, the statement said, has taken over the investigation into the murder of Kaaka and appealed to all who have credible information to share with the Command.
Meanwhile, the MP for Ejura-Sekyedumase, Mohammed Bawah Briamah, has discounted the police statement as an afterthought to murky the waters and confuse the public.
According to him, the youth was returning from the cemetery after the burial and out of the pain they experienced began protesting along the way during which they burnt car tires.
The police and military personnel who stormed the venue of the protest, he said, did not even engage the youth to disperse but began firing live bullets into the crowd of unarmed youth.
He argued that for the sake of argument even if the youth wielded weapons, was it not the duty of the security personnel to engage them peacefully and ensure they put down their weapons and disperse.
“To fire live bullets into the crowd indicates it was done deliberately and thankfully there are footages showing the soldier crouching on the ground, taking aim and firing several bullets.”
“We cannot use the taskpayers’ money to train you, buy you uniforms and guns only for you to come and kill us,” he stated.
The police and military, he said, acted unprofessionally and went overboard, especially as security personnel who have received training in crowd control and must accept they failed.
Hon. Mohammed Bawah who had earlier read a statement on the floor of the House on the murder of Kaaka and the unprovoked military assault disclosed that he is discussing with the Chairman of the Interior committee to summon the Interior and National Security Ministers to brief the House on the incidents.
He disclosed that the National Security Minister called to commiserate with him and expressed his disgust at how issues developed in the constituency.
The MP observed that what matters most now is to calm nerves and appealed to the youth to let their anger subside, especially when those who butchered Kaaka have been identified.
He stated that the murdered Ibrahim Kaaka is someone who was passionate about his community and spared no effort to highlight the developmental challenges of the municipality.
According to him, as leaders, such industrious young men should be encouraged and supported to ensure public servants are fulfilling their duties rather than harm them, or at worse assassinate them.
Source: MyPublisher24.com