Government has given an update on how a planned attack on the Jubilee House was detected and foiled by a combined team of CID and BNI operatives.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, in a statement detailing how the suspects and their operations were busted, said the whole plot was targeted at the presidency; with the ultimate aim of destabilizing the country.
“The persons arrested are Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm and his two accomplices – Mr. Ezor Kafui (a local weapon manufacturer) and Mr. Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu (aka BB or ADC)”, the statement issued Monday, September 23 said.
Read the full statement below
SECURITY AGENCIES FOIL ATTEMPT TO CREATE INSTABILITY IN GHANA
1. On Friday, 20th September 2019, a joint security operation of personnel drawn from Defence Intelligence, CID and Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), conducted a successful operation which led to the arrest of three persons and the retrieval of several arms, explosive devices and ammunition from locations in Accra and Bawaleshie near Dodowa.
2. The joint operation was to neutralize an elaborate plot targeted at the Presidency, and with the ultimate aim of destabilizing the country. The arrest and seizure come after fifteen (15) months of surveillance and gathering of evidence on the activities of the prime suspects and others.
3. The persons arrested are Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm and his two accomplices - Mr. Ezor Kafui (a local weapon manufacturer) and Mr. Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu (aka BB or ADC).
4. The following items were retrieved as part of the operation:
a. Citadel Hospital (Alajo, Accra)
• 5 x locally manufactured pistols with magazines fitted on.
• 1 x foreign pistol (Reg. No. PX154006) with 2 X magazines.
• 3 x locally manufactured pistol barrels.
• 3 x smoke grenades.
• 22 x Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
• 9 x 7.62mm NATO AK47 rounds.
• 2 x AK47 magazines.
• 1 x long Knife.
• The outlined plan for the operation presented by some soldiers at one of their meetings at Next-Door Resort.
• 7 x mobile phones.
• 2 x IPADs.
• 2 x decoders.
• 1 x modem.
• 3 x tablets.
• 1 x Ghanaian passport.
• 2 x pen-drives.
• 1 x voice recorder.
• 1 x USB connector.
• Machines and materials for manufacturing weapons and IEDs.
b. Bawaleshie near Dodowa
• 63 x 9mm NATO rounds.
5. Surveillance on the activities of the persons involved commenced in June 2018, when Dr. Mac-Palm and Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu ("BB" or "ADC"), started organizing a series of meetings at the Next-Door Beach Resort, in Teshie, and other locations in Accra, in furtherance of their objectives.
6. Between June and August 2018, BB, acting for and on behalf of Dr. Mac- Palm, contacted a number of serving military personnel, and talked them into hatching and executing a plot to obtain weapons, take over key installations, and secure funding for the purpose of taking over the reins of government. These meetings were closely monitored.
7. In August 2018, Dr. Mac-Palm and two others, Kennedy Amoah and Dr. Albert Sam (Based in the USA) formed a group called "Take Action Ghana" (TAG), under the guise of mobilising the youth for nation-building, education, health, and providing shelter to the needy. Evidence available shows the intent was to build a support base of youth, and radicalize them against the political authority in Ghana.
8. In furtherance of this scheme, Dr Mac-Palm contracted one Mr. Ezor from Alavanyo to produce locally made weapons and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) for the operation. In July 2019, Mr. Ezor set up a workshop in a container, originally used as an X-Ray laboratory, at the premises of Citadel Hospital, and started producing the weapons and IEDs in-house.
9. On 10th September 2019, Dr. Mac-Palm and Mr. Ezor procured from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, some essential chemicals to be mixed with gun powder, stone chippings, surgical needles and powdered pepper for their operations. He also contracted a worker at the Base Workshop in Burma Camp to supply 10 AK 47 riffles. He made an advance payment of GH07,OOO.OO.
10. On Thursday, 19th September 2O19, at about 23OO hours, still under surveillance, Dr. Mac-Palm, Mr. Ezor, and one soldier went to an area close to the Laboma Beach to test fire some of the locally manufactured weapons.
11. On the following day, 20th September 2019, between 0915 and 1755 hours, a team of security personnel undertook the operation which led to the arrest of Dr. Mac-Palm and his accomplices, and the subsequent retrieval of the items listed above.
12. The IEDs and all the exhibits are currently in the custody of the BNI, whilst investigations are being carried out for further action. Meanwhile, the suspects are undergoing interrogation.
13. State security agencies assure the general public that they remain vigilant, and will work to safeguard national security and public safety. The public is encouraged to remain calm and advised to provide information on any suspicious persons or activities to the police for necessary action.
14. The Government of Ghana will also continue with efforts to provide the necessary logistics and motivation to the security agencies for intelligence gathering, capacity building and other operations, to protect the country from terrorism, subversive activities, and other violent crimes. END.
Signed,
KOJO OPPONG NKRUMAH (MP) MINISTER
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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Mr minister where is the picture of the gun manufacturing machine.
We should note and be reminded the assassination attempt on Ex President De-Gaul of France took only one hired assassin to try. J.F Kennedy was assassinated by a single handed man with only one riffle so no one should play down actions of some disgruntled personalities in the society. They must be investigated and punish accordingly when found guilty.
ASK JJ RAWLINGS HOW HE WOULD HAVE TREATED THE ALLEGED COUP PLOTTERS. ASK HIM WHAT HE DID TO GOKA, GJAN, GYIWA AND MANY MANY OTHERS. WHERE ARE THEY NOW. NO MORE IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING. DONT TAKE ANY PLOTTING OF A COUP LIGHTLY. TODAY EVERYBODY WHO READ GHANA HISTORY TAKES LIMAN TO BE STUPIDDD. IT HAPPENED ALL BECAUSE OF WRONG ADVISORS THE WEAPONS DISCOVERED FROM THE COUP PLOTTERS APPEAR TO BE TOO SIMPLE FOR A COUP. IT IS GOOD FOR ALL WHO CARE ABOUT GHANA TO KNOW THAT THE WEAPONS DISCOVERED MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH TO TAKE OVER GOVERNMENT, YET THEY CAN ENABLE THEM TO ATTACK THE GUARDS AT THE ARMOURY TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO MORE POWERFUL WEAPONS. NO CIVILIAN COUP PLOTTERS ACT ALONE. THEY ALWAYS HAVE IGNORANTT SOLDIERS TO USE, EXPLOITT AND DUMPP. HE ALSO ARGUED THAT ANY COUP AT THIS TIME WILL ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION. ONE MUST KNOW THAT COUP MAKERS DO NOT CARE ABOUT INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION. CONTEMPORARY COUP MAKERS LACK THE ABILITY TO THINK RIGHT AND MAY NOT CARE ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK OF THEM. MOST COUP MAKERS ARE EGOISTICC AND SELF ABSORBEDD. THEY DONT THINK AND ACT RIGHT BECAUSE THEY DONT SEE RIGHT TO JUDGE RIGHT. OFOSU AMPOFO STATEMENTS WERE NOT MADE IN A VACUUM. ANY GUN OR EXPLOSION IN THE HANDS OF NON-AUTHORISED PERSONS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR THE GOOD OF ANY PEOPLE. THEY ARE ONLY USED TO COMMIT CRIME BY ATTACKING TO ROB PEOPLE OF THEIR LIVES, PROPERTY OR GOVERNMENT.
Those MFs should have been shot dead. The security agencies should not take any BS from any would-be nation-wreckers.
They may be a ***barred word***-minded group either linked with armed robbery or something else but not coup plotters! Most of the elements necessary for a coup are simply absent .Plotting a coup is a very complex operation and more often than not involves insiders and international actors. Moreover it is almost always felt sentimentally by the populace before it happens and this is usually characterized by general discontent among the populace, hardships, and unspoken hatred both from within and outside towards the ruling government. Whilst there is some amount of discontent there is also a good amount of support for the ruling government and the right mood in the country now is division along NDC/NPP lines and not sentiments for coup! That's a call too far!
The coup plotters dislike the creation and demarcation of the volta region. This has the blessing and support of the NDC via Ofosu Ampofo tape.
Ah, the weapons found cannot even overthrow a Chief in his palace, yet alone the gov't. These people are not serious.
All the idi0t1c jackasses calling this a diversionary tactic do not have their heads screwed on properly. Obviously if national security had not done anything about it and something nasty happened they would be the first on air bashing the BNI and other agencies.Certainly we the ordinary people do not have access to all the information but here is the NDC trying its best to tag Nana Addo with corruption and incompetence and even in their own propaganda they have failed.
These Akans and Ewes will be the main reason for Ghana to collapse. Their main machinery NPP and NDC is the weapon they use. Two dumpheadsss!!!!
Fake news.Diversionary tactics.simpliciter.I thought the information is coming to brief the public on final decision on PDS. We were promised the report was ready 30th August,2019. Almost four weeks.The president never returned from his trip in Japan.