Togolese officials deny holding Ghanaians in custody

• Posted on January 24, 2019
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

Officials at Dapaong, a regional capital city in northern Togo less than 60km from the border with Ghana in Bunkprugu, have dismissed as untrue media reports that alleged some Ghanaian nationals are being wrongfully held in their custody after they carried out a security operation along the border communities last year.

The report which indicts Togolese officials of breaching international security protocol claimed some five Ghanaian nationals have been languishing in Togolese detention centers without trial since they were rounded up at a border community of Gbadaag on October 20, last year.

The Ghanaians were in the community to trade, according to the report, and were resting at a drinking spot before a well-armed gendarmes raided the scene and swooped them away without interrogation.

The military operation was said to be in response to a disruption of an electoral process in the country.

The Ghanaians have pleaded innocence, the report added, but the Togolese officials have refused to cooperate with family relatives and government officials seeking to ensure their release.

In a response, the Togolese officials have denied having any Ghanaian in detention in connection with the October arrest.

An official in the office of the Dapaong Mayor confirmed the operation to Starr News but insisted that all “the about 20 people” were all Togolese nationals, most of them, wanted for instigating, causing and taking part in confusions in the areas during the electioneering period.

The official stated that the security had intelligence that some persons who had disrupted a voter registration exercise in the busy town were hiding in the popular local gin (Pito) drinking joint.

Gbadaag is one of the communities on either side of the Togo-Ghana border where residents feel deeply connected by ties.

“All those we are holding here are people we know and other people too know them. We are taking them through our laws and no foreigner is included,” the official said.

Back in Ghana, police and traditional leaders in Bunkprugu have also confirmed the operation but denied knowledge about any Ghanaian involvement.

The Chief of the area, Naa Bukari Nasimong said officials from Togo led by a DCE travelled to Bunkprugu to inform him about the arrest and also ask him to warn the Ghanaian residents living in the community.

According to him, the DCE was accusing the Ghanaians of assisting their tribesmen in Togo to cause confusion during the processes for the last year’s elections which was marred by post-voter clashes and opposition boycotts.

“The DCE for that side came and told me what happened, that they believe that those who are in Ghana side are encouraging them to bring misbehaviour so I advise them at that side”, the chief narrated.

“So, because that place is under my jurisdiction, I quickly asked somebody to go and meet the chief of that village and told him those who are in Ghana shouldn’t involve themselves in their elections or anything they want to do”.

The Bunkprugu district police commander, ASP Delaport said he was hearing the report for the first time, when StarrNews contacted him.

He said the last time the securities had contact and shared intelligence was over a theft case where they assisted to arrest a suspect who had fled into Ghana after stealing a motorbike in Togo.