The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has visited the 37 Military Hospital in Accra to check on a Ghana Immigration Service officer critically injured in an explosion at Hamile in the Upper West Region.
The officer was airlifted to Accra for specialised treatment following the blast, which also killed a fellow officer and two civilians.
Mr Mohammed-Mubarak expressed sympathy to the officer's family and assured them of the government's full support throughout his recovery. He said all medical expenses arising from the incident would be covered and that every effort would be made to ensure the officer receives the best possible care.
In a statement issued in Accra today, November 4, the Minister also cautioned the public against the unsafe handling, transportation and use of explosives.
He urged Ghanaians to comply strictly with the laws and safety regulations governing the possession, movement and use of such materials, warning that negligence could have devastating consequences for individuals and communities.
Accompanying the Minister was a delegation of senior Immigration officers led by the Deputy Comptroller-General of Immigration in charge of Command Posts and Operations, Faisal Disu, who briefed the Minister on the circumstances of the incident. He said a four-member Immigration patrol team on routine duty came across a tricycle carrying two people towards Burkina Faso along an unapproved route.
He said when the officers tried to stop the tricycle, the rider veered off the road and the patrol gave chase. He said it was later established that the occupants were transporting explosives, which detonated during the pursuit resulting in casualties.
He said one Immigration officer and the two people on the tricycle died at the scene while another officer was severely injured and rushed to Accra, where he was admitted to the 37 Military Hospital for specialised care. DCG/OPS Disu said the hospital had assured the Service of its commitment to providing him with the highest standard of medical care.
The statement said following the explosion, some youth in the area attacked GIS installations, reportedly in reaction to the patrol team's actions. He stressed, however, that the officers were carrying out their lawful mandate of preventing cross-border crime and other illegal activities along the country's borders.
A curfew has since been imposed on Hamile Township to forestall further attacks on Immigration officers at night.
Meanwhile, the Regional Security Council, including the Immigration Service, has met with chiefs and the Hamile-Happa Traditional Area Committee to discuss the concerns raised. It said the ongoing engagement had helped to calm tensions in Hamile and surrounding communities.
The statement said GIS reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Ghana's territorial integrity and combating cross-border crime.
It appealed to border communities to cooperate with security agencies and to refrain from attacking officers or public installations, particularly while personnel are performing their lawful duties.
