Ghana’s security agencies have, so far, not been able to establish the motive behind the plans by Burkinabe terrorists to launch attacks on Bolgatanga townships and parts of the Northern Region, Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Mahamudu Yakubu has disclosed.
According to the Regional Minister, although security in the regions are on high alert and have increased patrols in districts bordering neighboring countries particularly Burkina Faso, they have no intelligence on why the terror groups which have been terrorizing the francophone country will want to launch similar attacks in Ghana.
He, however, assured that the security agencies have the situation under control while urging residents of the regions to assist the security by reporting suspicious characters and strangers lodging in their neighborhoods or their facilities so as to quell the planned attacks.
“We have the military and the police patrolling here. All our districts that are bordering this country (Burkina Faso) are on high alert. We have also asked residents to be very vigilant and report any strange movement, any strange person that they are not sure of to us. If you see a stranger in your know neighborhood, report to the security.
Also, strangers booking into hotels, seeking rent or grazing their herds should be reported to us. We don’t know the motive behind the possible attacks. These are security matters and I don’t want to discuss into details on phone. But all I can say is we as a country and as a region are on very high alert because of the happenings in the neighboring country. We have the situation under control,” he stated in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM.
The regional minister was speaking in reaction to a police wireless message alerting police commanders of the various regions of possible attacks on Bolgatanga and its environs including parts of the Northern Region by terror groups behind attacks in Burkina Faso.
The Wireless communique sighted by dreamzfmonline.com indicated that the terrorists may have already entered into the country and are hiding in locations the police are yet to uncover.
They are said to be in possession of explosive nuclear weapons that are capable of causing mass destruction and are poised to launch the attacks any moment from now.
But over 24 hours since the issuance of the communique, the regional ministers, who doubles as head of the Regional Security Council, disclosed that the security agencies have not picked any lead on the planned attacks.
“We have not picked up any lead at all. But our ears are on the grounds,” he added.
Ghana’s northern neighbor, Burkina Faso has been under attacks by terrorist groups linked to Al-Qaida and the Islamic State Group since 2015. The deadly attacks carryout by these terror groups have led to loss of many lives and destruction of properties worth millions of cedis with many others maimed in the former French colony.
The francophone country is not only facing security crisis but also humanitarian crisis as thousands of citizens are left displaced.
The latest attack which happened in early this month in the Northern village of Solhan left about 160 people dead and is said to be the deadliest attack since the start of the terrorist attacks.
