Security Analyst, Adib Saani has called on the state to consider the secessionist group, Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) as a terrorist group and employ effective tactics to decisively deal with them.
According to him, the secessionist group cannot be dealt with as ordinary criminal organization but a terrorist group as they deploy terrorism tactics in carrying out their attacks. He wants the state to bring all resources to bear in dealing with the group which he said should be considered a terrorist group and curtail their activities.
Mr. Adib Saani fears that the group may solicit support from international terrorist groups to aid their activities as that could spell doom for the nation.
“It is safe to say at this time that, these are terrorists. This is homegrown terrorism and we need to accept it. Security situations have changed all over the world. Terrorism has become transnational and the possibility that these guys might start talking with external organization is very real. So we really have to accept it the way it is and deal with it the way it should be dealt with,” he said in interview on Joy Prime TV.
His comments come at the back of the latest attack by alleged members of the secessionist group on Tuesday, September 29, 2020.
According to the Ghana Police Service, four armed men invaded the Ho STC yard at about 2:00 am and demanded keys to the vehicles parked in the yard. The armed men later set ablaze two of the 11 mini buses parked in the yard at the time of the incident. The Police added that their checks found a flag of the secessionist group at the crime scene.
Mr. Adib Saani who said he is not surprised about the latest attack contends that the current state’s response to their activities is ineffective stating that the state had underestimated the capacity of the group to launch such attacks.
While arguing that the coercive force alone has not proven effective in dealing with terrorist activities around the world, he advised that the state should, in addition to the use of force, enhance security intelligence on their activities as well as collaborate with neighboring Togolese security to axe the group’s existence. He believes the group may be taking advantage of the porous nature of the country’s borders to smuggle weapons into the country to launch their planned attacks.
“It is very important to note that we need to approach it from the perspective. In as much as we want to involve the military. In as much as we want to crash them. We want to show some level of force, we should also consider improving intelligence on the ground. We should consider speaking to our Togolese counterparts. So if there are any influx border activities which I know exist based on my initial analysis of what is happening there and based on information I’ve gathered on the ground. They are taking advantage of the international border area to traffic arms and perhaps their funding could also come from there,” he stated.
