Member of Parliament for Tano North, Dr. Gideon Boako, has strongly condemned what he described as “blanket arrests” and “unlawful repatriation” of several residents of the Ahafo Region by security forces, following a violent attack on officials of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Dr. Boako said while he fully supports the enforcement of laws and condemns any attacks on state officials performing their lawful duties, the military-led swoop that resulted in mass arrests in the Hwidiem area was excessive and undermines the rights of innocent citizens.
“The principle of natural justice dictates that persons must be treated as innocent until proven guilty. The operation that led to mass arrest without discernible, proper investigation is unacceptable. It risks punishing the innocent alongside the culpable, thereby undermining public trust and creating unnecessary fear and tension within the community,” he stated.
The arrests followed an alleged assault on officials of NAIMOS and the EPA, who were reportedly on an anti-illegal mining (galamsey) operation in parts of the Ahafo Region. In response, security personnel conducted a large-scale swoop in the area, detaining scores of residents, many of whom were later transported to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region for interrogation.
The Member of Parliament for Tano North described the repatriation of the detainees to Kumasi as “deeply troubling,” arguing that it poses severe challenges to the rights and welfare of the affected individuals.
“This action places undue hardship on the arrested citizens and their families, making access to legal representation and basic family support unnecessarily difficult,” the MP said. “Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done locally.”
He further called for strict adherence to legal and procedural requirements regarding the place of detention, urging that all arrested persons be returned to police facilities within the Ahafo Region, to ensure fairness and transparency.
The Tano North MP also demanded an immediate end to what he called the “blanket arrest approach,” insisting that each case be treated on its individual merit.
“Every individual arrested must be subjected to a thorough, transparent and prompt investigation to establish their individual culpability, if any,” Dr. Gideon Boako said.
“The focus should be on diligently identifying and prosecuting the true perpetrators of the attack, not on subjecting the entire community to collective punishment.”
Dr. Gideon Boako, who also serves as an economic advisor and is widely regarded for his moderation on national issues, emphasised that the rule of law must guide all security operations, even in cases involving serious offenses such as illegal mining or attacks on public officials.
He urged the people of Hwidiem to remain calm and cooperate fully with ongoing investigations, warning against any form of retaliation or violence.
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