Ashaiman Group Demands Apology From Akufo-Addo For Military Brutality: “Their Actions Were Beastly”

• A pressure group has made some demands following the widely-condemned military action at Ashaiam on March 7
• The group, Ashaiman Lives Matter, said the president, Nana Akufo-Addo, must apologise on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces
• They also said in a statement on March 9, 2023, that innocent people beaten and manhandled during the military swoop to find the killers of a soldier on March 4 should be compensated

A pressure group from Ashaiman has joined the widespread condemnation of the military operation in the municipality on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

Ashaiman Lives Matter, the group, says the swoop on the town over the death of a young military officer was "beastly" and has asked president Nana Akufo-Addo apologise to residents of the town on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces.

"The people of Ashaiman condemn the beastly acts of the Ghana Armed Forces and we also call for President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, to also do same and render an unqualified apology to the Good People of Ashaiman for the criminal acts of his troops," the group said in a statement issued on Thursday, March 9, 2023.

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Compensation for victims of military brutality

The group also called for prompt compensation to the innocent victims of what the military claims was an intelligence-led operation to fish out the killers of the young soldier, 22-year-old Imoro Sherrif.

Ashaiman Lives Matter said the military raid on the wet Tuesday dawn destroyed many properties and the kidnap of over 400 residents.

"We are currently living in a constant state of fear because the soldiers told the residents that it is one month operation and they have instructions from above to put the fear of God in them and to avenge the murder of the fallen soldier," the group said in the lengthy statement.

CHRAJ condemns Ashaiman military action

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has also condemned the operation by the heavily armed military.

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CHRAJ commissioner Joseph Whittal said the exercise was not intelligence-led as the military claims.

He said the raid by the members of the Armed Forces was wrong and dehumanising.

Ghana Armed Forces explains Ashaiman brutality

YEN.com.gh also reported in a related story that the Armed Forces released a statement to explain that the raid in Ashaiman on March 7, was sanctioned by the Military High Command.

The statement, mistakenly dated March 7, 2022, said killers of a young soldier in Ashaiman on March 4 were the target of the operation and not innocent civilians.

However, many people feel the statement, especially the error in the date, shows it was hurriedly put together amid the public backlash.

Source: YEN.com.gh