Soldiers And Ghana Police Clash at Accra Central Headquarters: Trending Video Scares Ghanaians

• The police and members of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) clashed on Monday, March 27, 2023, resulting in fisticuffs
• A trending video shows personnel of the two security agencies engaged in violent physical contact, amid the cocking of guns
• An eyewitness told a radio station later that the incident ensued when a police dispatch rider stopped a bullion van and a military escort on a busy street at the Accra business district

There was pandemonium at the Greater Accra Regional Police Headquarters when heavily armed military personnel stormed there on Monday, March 27, 2023.

Videos of the incident circulating on social media capture some police and soldiers throwing punches while others shoved each other around in public.

The reason for the public show of force between the two important national security forces is unclear, however, the incident was captured by the smartphones of surprised members of the public who witnessed the incident.

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A man claiming to be an eyewitness of the event, Thomas Moro, told a local radio station, Accra FM on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, that he saw police rush onto the soldiers who had just gotten down from a military pick-up truck.

According to him, the military truck had been escorting the white bullion van.

Thomas explained that before the fight between the police and the soldiers, the bullion van and the military pick-up were travelling at top speed in front of the police headquarters in an attempt to enter the CBD through the road in front of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.

But the speeding bullion van of the military escort was blocked by a police dispatch rider at the intersection, probably for using that route or speeding. It is not yet clear why the police dispatch rider stopped the vehicles.

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However, the military did not take kindly to the show of authority by the police dispatch rider.

Thomas Moro, described as a sports journalist, said although he saw that the military escort attempted to explain that they were on duty, the dispatch rider refused to give way.

It was at that point that the Thomas said the soldiers also decided to show their strength by heckling the dispatch rider. Other dispatch riders standing by didn't like that one of their colleagues who was doing his job had been hit, so they also took a stand.

Thomas said there was a cocking of guns by the soldiers, which caused ordinary citizens standing by or passing by the place of the incident to quickly disperse.

Thomas explained that because the police barracks was close, other police officers quickly rushed to the scene with guns and then, there was more cocking.

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The eyewitness told Accra FM in Twi that the police got the military guy who heckled the dispatch rider arrested and put behind bars at the regional headquarters.

"But the matter didn't end there", Thomas said.

He said the other military officers also called for reinforcement, specifically to have their arrested counterpart released.

Thomas said knowing how brutal personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) can be when one of their colleagues is in trouble, the police also armed themselves to the teeth in anticipation of the military reinforcement that had been requested.

Then, when the reinforcement came, they were flatly prevented from entering the police headquarters, leading to the throwing of punches and other violent physical contacts between the police and soldiers.

It is not clear how, as an eyewitness, Thomas got this information, but he claimed that it took the intervention of one military colonel to calm the armed police officers and have the arrested military personnel released.

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He said there were no major injuries by members of the two security agencies.

Reactions of Ghanaians about the viral video

Many Ghanaians have expressed disgust about the video on Facebook. These are some of the reactions in the comments section of the video posted by Accra FM.

Solomon Kwame said:

"Very soon, they will go and beat the IGP himself."

Kofi Obeng also expressed fear:

"Under whose government and leadership are all these beautiful things happening. Very sad... hmmmm"

Nii Nii recalled the recent Ashaiman incident:

"They will come like the way they went to Ashaiman."

Dzigbordi Prince's comment was short:

"Very sad."

GAF spokesperson claims Ghanaians are happy with Ashaiman raid

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported that a spokesperson for the Ghana Armed Forces disclosed that some Ghanaians have commended the military operation in Ashaiman inspite of reports condemning the brutalities.

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Brigadier General Aggrey Quashie, the Director General of the Public Affairs Directorate told PR practitioners at an event that some residents of Ashaiman felt that the operation was needed to stop the violent activities by recalcitrant members of the community.

Meanwhile, some experts fear the incident could reflect negatively on Ghana's global peace and security indices.

Source: YEN.com.gh