Again President Mahama, in his 120-day social contract, promised to “purge state security agencies of all militia and vigilante elements.” Yet, we have witnessed the exact opposite. Rather than cleansing the system, this government has emboldened these elements—turning state security agencies into tools of political intimidation. From Rambo-style raids on the homes and offices of former appointees to coordinated acts of aggression against perceived opponents, what we are seeing state-sponsored harassment masked as law enforcement. Since assuming office, President Mahama has weaponised the security services, deploying them in retrogressive, PNDC-style raids on the homes of political opponents. Some incidents:
On the morning of Tuesday, February 11, 2025, armed military personnel, police officers, and plainclothes security operatives, without any warrant or justification, stormed the private residence of former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta. These armed officers, despite repeated demands from Mr Ofori-Atta’s on-site security team for a warrant, forcefully broke into the house, ransacked the premises, searched every corner, and upon finding nothing, left.
Similarly the residence of Lord Commey, former Director of Operations at the Jubilee House, was raided, with his vehicles unlawfully seized. Former Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, was also targeted, as security operatives chased him down and forcibly took possession of his vehicle while it was at a workshop.
- On Wednesday, 19th March , 2025, around 5 a.m., about 20 heavily armed operatives, some wearing balaclavas and wielding AK-47 rifles, led by Richard Jakpa, Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, raided the private residence of former Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, at Roman Ridge, Accra.
- On Saturday, April 5, 2025, 30 armed National Security operatives and military personnel raided the private residence of Superintendent Yakubu Issahaku, Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to former Vice President, Dr. Bawumia, in Sapeiman. They forcibly entered his home and ransacked the entire property, causing significant destruction.
- Then, on Wednesday, 9th April, 2025, there was an unlawful and politically motivated attempt by officials of the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) to arrest the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour at his residence. A glaring example of state-sponsored intimidation of opposition figures who speak out on sensitive national matters.
These are just a few of the many acts of persecution that this NDC government has carried out in the last 120 days.
Rather than focusing on the mandate Ghanaians have entrusted to them and addressing the pressing issues confronting our nation, this government has chosen the path of retaliatory politics and the political persecution of opponents.
In fact, these acts of violence started even before President Mahama’s swearing in. After the elections, the NDC deployed mercenaries and thugs to polling stations and collation centres across the country. They brutalised our party agents, intimidated voters, and coerced Electoral Commission officials into declaring fraudulent parliamentary results in their favour. Where they failed to steal outright, they sought to manipulate, to bully, to force outcomes.
These mercenaries and thugs did not merely brutalise our parliamentary candidates, agents and supporters, They inflicted physical harm, burned down Electoral Commission offices, and destroyed vital public property. Yet, to this day, none of them has been held accountable in a court of law.
