‘Toothless’ Police Finally Bite

Delta Force is an American movie, which was produced in Israel in 1986, and full of action. In the said movie, the two main characters, Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin, displayed real bravery when they managed to rescue hostages onboard a Boeing 707, flying from Athens to Rome, but was hijacked by terrorists and diverted to Beirut, Lebanon.

The thriller, which was chockfull of military action, saw record sales in the world, and is still considered one of the best movies released by the American producers.

Unfortunately, an attempt by a vigilante group in Kumasi, calling themselves Delta Force, to display the same character of Chuck Norris, as recorded in the 1986 movie, has landed them in serious trouble.

Unlike Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin, who rescued the hostages from being killed by the terrorists, the Kumasi Delta Force failed to execute its mission of storming the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council to seize the Regional Security Coordinator.

As a result, not only have they showed complete impudence towards President Akufo-Addo, whose orders they attempted to usurp, despite claiming support for him, but have actually found themselves on the wrong side of the law, with their leader, Ofosu Nsiah Boadu, currently languishing in a police ‘dungeon’ in Kumasi.

For a moment, it looked like a Hollywood movie, but in reality, Boadu’s Delta Force had invaded the Regional Coordinating Council, climbed upstairs, grabbed Mr. George Adjei, the Regional Security Coordinator, in his office and attempted to rough him up.

Mr Adjei’s crime was that he had accepted the invitation extended to him by President Akufo-Addo to become his Security Coordinator in the Ashanti Region.

To the Delta Force leaders, who are claiming affiliation to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), one of their own should have occupied the position, and not Adjei, who they claim is not known in the party

A timely intervention of the police, however, averted further punishment being meted out to the poor Security Coordinator, who was pushed down as he descended from his office, which facilities had completely been destroyed by the hooligans.

The fallout from the unwarranted attack has, this time, compelled the police to arrest the leader of the Delta Force, whilst his colleagues, after mustering the courage to storm the Regional Coordinating Council, have now gone into hiding.

This is not the first time a political vigilante group has caused mayhem in the country.

The Azorka Boys, Bolga Bulldogs, Invincible Forces have all used their political affiliations to attack innocent people, but the police, in most of the cases, failed to react for fear of being punished by the politicians.

Last year, a group of NDC supporters invaded one of the district assemblies in the Upper West Region and caused mayhem, but the police failed to act. The Commander in charge of the region actually granted an interview to the media, and claimed that he could not take action because the issue was very political.

In January last year, the then Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. John Kudalor, promised to disband all vigilante groups associated with political parties in the country. He stated at the time that his decision was based on advice by the Attorney General, that the groups were unlawful and illegal.

Despite this pronouncement, no concrete action was taken in that regard, as the political vigilante groups continued to operate and cause confusion, especially, during political activities.

It is based on this that the public has reacted angrily to the latest conduct of the Delta Force, with Mr Kweku Baako, a journalist and political commentator, asking President Akufo-Addo to reshuffle the Ashanti Regional police boss and his commanders, if they failed to take action by arresting members of the Delta Force to face the full rigours of the law.

A similar call had also been made by a member of OccupyGhana and economist, Mr Sidney Casely Hayford.

Public outcry has forced the police to, this time, act within the confines of the law, by arresting Ofosu Nsiah Boadu, leader of the group.

Chief Inspector Godwin Ahianyo, Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed in a telephone interview with The Chronicle yesterday that one of the suspects had been arrested.

According to him, the police had also extended invitations to other members of the group to report themselves to the Kumasi Central Police today, or risk being arrested.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the ruling party, Sam Pyne, has distanced the party from the conduct exhibited by the Delta Force members.

The Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, was, however, quoted by Citi FM as saying that he would work around the clock to resolve the impasse. What is not known though, is whether he would use his political influence to stop the prosecution of the Delta Force members, who had attacked an innocent Ghanaian without any justifiable cause.

Source: The Chronicle