The National Network Coordinator of THE West African Network for Peace Building (WANEP), Mr Albert Yelyang, has urged the security agencies in Ghana to scale up security in Bawku and along the borders following intelligence that some Burkinabe fighters may be involved in the conflict.
A letter written by ACP Alex Kwame Safo-Adu and chanced upon by editors.3news.com, some Burkinabe nationals from the Boulgou province were seen retreating to Burkina Faso following an operation by Ghanaian security forces to arrest perpetrators of violence in the area.
It said there was information that “some of the arms used in the recent disturbances in the area were reportedly smuggled from Burkina Faso”.
“However, there are no established links between the Burkinabe fighters and terrorist cells.
“Although the Burkinabe nationals involved in the Bawku conflict may be motivated by tribal ties and financial gains, the security situation in the area could serve as a conduit for jihadists and violent extremists to infiltrate and radicalise the local populace to advance their course,” the letter warned.
Reacting to this on the News @10 on TV3 Wednesday April 27, Mr Yelyang said “I think that coming from the security intelligence it is something that we need to do a lot more introspection to be able to come to terms with what they are indicating through the media.
“If you look at what is happening, there has been that concerns, for sometime now we have been thinking about this dynamics that are happening in our own conventional conflicts and then also the threats from the Sahel and also in Burkina Faso. The number of violence incidences in Burkina Faso arising from extremists activities.
” So if that intelligence is what the security has picked up and has found its way into the public domain in the media we need to all look at it very seriously. and begin to have strategies.”
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has directed his Chief Staff Officer to write to the Upper East Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service to beef up security in Bawku.
the IGP wants security heightened in the area as jihadist-related activities have been recorded in the Boulgou province and “pose a serious security threat to the country”.
By Laud Nartey|editors.3news.com|Ghana
