Kubori residents protest arrests, robbery
Hundreds of residents at Kubori in the Mamprugu/Moaduri District in the North East Region last Wednesday staged a peaceful demonstration to protest the arrest of some community members in connection with the death of a suspected armed robber.
The demonstrators, including women and children, also protested the increasing spate of robbery incidents, which had claimed many lives and heightened insecurity in the area.
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During the protest, meant to demand the release of community members and subsequent improvement of the situation, the demonstrators held placards some of which read “Police do your arrest with diplomacy”, “who is behind the dawn arrest” and “stop protecting and shielding robbers,” among others.
Incident
On May 20, 2020, four suspected armed robbers on motorbikes were said to have attacked a fuel filling station at Kubori and made away with a huge sum of money.
After the incident, they attempted to escape but luck eluded one of them who was given a hot chase and apprehended by the residents. He was subsequently beaten and held hostage before the arrival of the police.
The Daily Graphic gathered that the suspect died and the police, upon their arrival, allegedly ordered the residents to bury him because they did not have a vehicle to convey the body, to which they obliged.
In a twist of events, on the midnight of Saturday, June 18, a team of security operatives reportedly invaded Yirangu and Lunsi, suburbs of Kubori, and apprehended 25 persons over the death and burial of the suspect.
Some residents were said to have also sustained severe injuries during the raid.
Ultimatum
Addressing the media after the protest, a spokesperson of the Kubori Millenium Club, a youth group that led the protest, Seidu Damba Abdulai, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Regional Police Command to release the suspects else they would advise themselves.
He condemned the arrest and attack on the people, saying that “the invasion and subsequent arrest of our people in connection with the death of the armed robber is unfortunate because the people defended themselves.”
“We want to use this opportunity to condemn the mishandling of our people, particularly one Razak, who was beaten mercilessly by the police for resisting their unprofessional and Rambo-style arrest.
“Regardless of what happened to our brother, we are thankful to our ancestors that we did not witness what happened in Ejura, Ayawaso, Techiman South and many other communities which have suffered unprofessional policing,” he stated.
Mr Abdulai expressed worry about the increasing spate of armed robbery attacks and called on the police to up their game to protect the lives and property in the area.
He called on the North East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to, as a matter of urgency, step up measures to address insecurity in the area.
Meanwhile, officials of the North East Regional Police Command declined to comment on the incident.
