Persistent attacks and hostility from residents in parts of Ghana’s North East Region have forced some security personnel deployed to maintain peace in Nakpanduri and surrounding communities to seek transfers, while others have resigned, the Minister for the Interior, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has disclosed.
The minister made this known on Tuesday during parliamentary deliberations on the worsening security situation in the Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri District, which has been plagued by violent chieftaincy and land disputes, as well as reported cases of missing persons.
Contributing to a statement presented by the Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu, Dr Abed-Nego A. Lamangin Bandim, Mohammed-Mubarak described the security challenges in the area as overwhelming, noting that limited manpower and continued attacks on officers have made deployments increasingly difficult.
“Mr Speaker, the challenge in that area is enormous. We do not have excess police officers that can simply be reassigned whenever incidents occur,” the minister said, referencing similar security pressures in Bawku and its environs over the past 18 months.
He revealed that although most of the armoured vehicles recently acquired by the government have been stationed in the affected areas, the lack of cooperation from local residents has undermined security operations.
“The worrying issue is when citizens refuse to work with the police to secure peace in their own communities. Just two days ago, an officer was shot and killed. In such situations, officers come to the office pleading to be transferred, and in some cases, officers have resigned outright,” he added.
The Interior Minister appealed to Members of Parliament, particularly those representing conflict-prone constituencies, to encourage security personnel seeking transfers to remain at their posts while government intensifies efforts to guarantee their safety.
He also urged lawmakers and community leaders to support the establishment of community policing structures, noting that a dedicated directorate at the Police Headquarters is responsible for coordinating such initiatives.
On the issue of reported disappearances in Nakpanduri, Mohammed-Mubarak clarified that only one case had been officially recorded by the police, contrary to claims of seven missing persons cited by Dr Bandim.
“Mr Speaker, the Regional Police Commander has confirmed that only one disappearance has been formally reported,” he said.
However, Dr Bandim insisted that the lack of conclusive investigations into the reported cases had left families in distress and highlighted the urgent need for decisive action.
He described the latest disappearance as a sign of a deteriorating security situation in the North East Region and called for a more intelligence-driven approach by security agencies. The lawmaker also urged a review of missing persons dockets and a preliminary investigation by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) into the reported cases.
The debate underscored growing concerns over security, community trust and accountability in conflict-affected areas, as Parliament called for stronger collaboration between residents and security agencies to restore lasting peace.
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