By: KALD & Rita Nedjoh | Voltaonllinegh.com|
The Volta Regional Minister has launched an independent probe into recent disturbances in the Alavanyo area, which has resulted in the killing of some three persons in last few days.
The investigations, being done by an independent committee, according to Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, who is also the Chairman of Regional Security Council, would unravel immediate and remote causes of last Sunday and Monday shooting incidents which claimed three lives and injured six others.
Two persons were shot and killed with six others sustaining injuries last Sunday at Alavanyo-Dzogbedze on Sunday in what the police described as a cross fire between an agitated crowd and a security detachment in the area, when the latter went to meet the community chief to negotiate the release of an AK47 rifle, which was seized from a policeman during an earlier operation in the area.
Barely 24 hours after this incident, there was sporadic shooting at Alavanyo-Kpeme, where a soldier was said to have sustained gunshot wounds on the leg and a 70-year old man later found dead.
These situations have heightened tension in the area, with the residents, including the paramount queen mother, Mama Ametor II demanding an independent probe into the incidents.
The Regional minister speaking on the issue in radio interview on Tuesday said the independent probe was crucial in restoring the confidence of the people of Alanvanyo in the security agencies.
“We need to do something to prove to the community that, it was the fault of the police or if it was the fault of anybody else, nobody is above the law,” he told Accra Based JoyFM and added that, the Chairman and Secretary of the Regional Peace Council are providing their expertise on the committee, whose membership he fell short of mentioning.
He said the committee would submit its report by close of week and appealed to the aggrieved residents to exercise restraint.
Military Reinforcement
Meanwhile, a military reinforcement from the 66 Artillery regiment in Ho has been deployed to protect lives and properties in the volatile Alavanyo area.
The Volta Regional Police commander, DCOP Francis Doku who disclosed this at a media briefing on Tuesday, said the contingent would augment the security arrangement in the area, as the police retreated to forestall any reprisal attack.
While, calling for calm in the area, the police chief said the situation could have been avoided as the attack on police was unprovoked.
Explaining the circumstances that led to the killing of the three persons, DCOP Doku said that the police went to the area upon intelligence to retrieve illegal arms and ammunitions that were stashed and in the process arrested 3 persons.
During the operation, he said some aggrieved youth attacked the two police men who were guarding the police vehicle and snatched an AK-47 rifle from the officer while, the 3 persons arrested also escaped their handcuffs.
As a result, the police team retreated from the area and lodged a complaint at the Kpando divisional command, where another police team later returned with military detachment in the area to the chief’s palace to negotiate the release of the AK 47 riffle of the police.
According to Police commander, the youth got incensed upon seeing the joint security team and as such disconnected the electricity supply in the community and started shooting. This got them to return fire resulting in cross fire in which the two people were killed and six other injured.
DCOP Doku also disclosed that, the tyres of the police Armor vehicle were shot and military vehicles damaged during the during the second shooting incident at Kpeme, which claimed the life of the 70 year old man and injured a soldier, who was currently receiving treatment at 7MRS at the 66 Artillery in Ho.
He however emphasized that, the recent incidents has no connection with the protracted age old land disputes between the Alavanyos and Nkonyas, which has caused the imposition of prolong curfew on the two towns.
Meanwhile, the deceased bodies have since been deposited in the Margaret Marquart Catholic hospital morgue at Kpando, where the injured are also receiving treatment.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com
