Member of parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has called for an inquiry into brutalities meted out to residents of Garu by military in the community.

According to him, he is utterly displeased by the military brutalities in the community. He revealed that he received calls around 3am on the day of the incident reporting the presence of Ghana Armed Forces men in the Garu area beating anyone they came across.

He indicated that he “desperately” tried to reach the National Security Minister at that early hour, although the minister “apparently did not know anything about it as he reached out to me and reported that he was in Europe”.

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Mr Ayariga stated that early in the morning, he saw “horrendous” photos of the victims of the military brutalities. To this, he extended his sympathies to all the victims.

“Let me add my voice to the series of condemnations of the military brutalities visited upon innocent youth and women in Garu. This is barbaric and unacceptable in today’s Ghana… I will join my fellow Members of Parliament from the Upper East Region to call for a full-scale inquiry into what happened.”
Mahama Ayariga

Mr Ayariga recalled being involved in a discussion with the Minister for National Security a few days prior about some national security operatives who had been stopped in Garu and handed over to the police.

With this, he explained that he saw media reports of the alleged shooting of the vehicle used by the national security operatives by unknown persons in the Garu area.

“If the incident is a retaliation by the soldiers, this will be most unfortunate and unacceptable in today’s Ghana, and he has to get to the bottom of the matter and hold the military personnel involved in this dastard act accountable.”
Meanwhile,

Meanwhile, members of parliament for the Garu and Tempane constituencies, Albert Alalzuuga Akuka and Lydia Akanvariba Adakudugu respectively, have condemned the alleged military assault on some residents of Garu in the Upper East Region.

They revealed that the unprovoked action by the military on the innocent civilians is uncalled for and must be condemned by all peace-loving people.

The two equally stated that any form of violence and brutalities meted on citizens, especially when it is perpetrated by those who are supposed to serve and protect them must be condemned unequivocally.

“It has come to our attention that a concerning incident occurred in our constituencies today, Sunday, 29th October, 2023 around dawn at 2:00 am. Military officers entered our constituencies and engaged in actions that resulted in harm to the residents…

“We are deeply disturbed by these reports, especially considering the volatile nature of the area vis-a-vis the Bawku Conflict (Note that Garu and Tempane are part of the Bawku Traditional Area), and we are therefore actively seeking more information about the situation.”
MPs joint statement

Garu, Tempane MPs demands thorough investigation into military attack

Furthermore, the Garu and Tempane legislators expressed support to constituents who have been affected and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.

They noted that their priority is the safety and well-being of their constituents, and are committed to providing support to those who have been impacted by this incident.

“We are working closely with relevant authorities and organisations to ensure that justice is served and that such incidents are prevented in the future.”
MPs joint statement

Moreover, the two MPs called for the military to be withdrawn from the Garu and Tempane Constituencies. They further demanded that those arrested and detained should be released unconditionally.

“Those injured during the military disturbances should be taken care off and compensated by the Government/Ministry of Defence. The lawlessness and brutalities inflicted on innocent citizens should stop.”
MPs joint statement

Subsequently, the MPs urged their constituents to remain calm and peaceful during this challenging time. They further called for transparency, accountability, and open communication to address this issue.