Details have emerged linking Rashida Saani Nasamu, a media personality and event organizer, to the kidnapping of Sylvia Patience Baah, the Emirates Airlines Airport Services Manager in Accra.
The incident, which occurred last week Thursday, was allegedly orchestrated by operatives of Ghana’s National Security Secretariat following a dispute over Sylvia’s decision to deboard Rashida and two high-ranking National Security officials from a Dubai-bound flight for their late arrival at Kotoka International Airport.
The hooded National Security men who had threatened Sylvia with assault, death and other things left her with some injuries. The hypertensive lady many times during the ordeal, was left breathless. She was handcuffed from behind and a blindfold they put on her covered her nose, and she had to be begging the kidnappers for air as well as her BP medication. Strangely, one of them lifted the blindfold a bit above her nose to enable breathe.
Rashida, a former reporter for Metro TV and EIB Network, managed by Bola Ray is known for her close associations with prominent figures like Nana Aba Anamoah, Serwaa Amihere and their class of friends.
As CEO of the online platform Ghana Report, she has also ventured into event organizing, including the recent Ghana Report Summit.
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Not long ago, she married an Alhaji and decided to brand herself as “Alhaji’s Wife”, a name she later used for a restaurant called Alhaji’s Waakye.
In recent times, she has ventured into high-profile event organising, including The Ghana Report Summit on Thursday, 1st August 2024, themed “Dealing with Misinformation and Disinformation—Election 2024.”
Among those who were billed to address the event included President Akufo-Addo, Albert Kan-Dapaah Minister, of National Security, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector-General of Police, Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, former national security coordinator, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Director of Elections and ICT, NDC, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, spokesperson, former president John Mahama.
Others were Fatimatu Abubakar, Minister of Information, Dennis “Miracles” Aboagye, Director for Communication for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s 2024 Campaign, Kathleen Addy, Chairperson of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Estelle Akofio-Sowah, Regional Manager, Csquared West Africa, Roland Affail Monney, Former President, GJA.
The rest were Amb. Edward Boateng, Founder, Of Global Media Alliance, Kwami Sefa Kayi, Media Personality, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Investigative Journalist, Samuel Attah-Mensah, MD, Citi FM and Channel One TV and Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Director General, Cyber Security Authority, Gayheart Mensah, CEO, Komskraft Consult.
Not long after, she also organised a job fair at Independence Square – Accra for the government with Ghanaian youth thronging there to register for future jobs.
The two events, The Herald, learnt were organized with the support of National Security relying on her closeness to the National Security Coordinator, Edward Asomani.
Persons who have suffered similar ordeal include the Canada-based Ghanaian lady, Serwaa Broni, who was in a romantic relationship with the President, Nana Akufo-Addo. Hopeson Adorye, formerly of the NPP and a staff of the National Security Secretariat stationed at the Kotoka International Airport, aware of their relationship sent National Security thugs to retrieve compromising pictures and videos allegedly taken of the President by Serwaa, who was threatening to release them unless she got paid US$2 million. The Police investigated the matter but never came out with a report on the matter.
Ghanaian Blogger, Albert Nat Hyde alias Bongo Ideas, also suffered a similar incident when he was picked up at dawn on Thursday, March 14, 2024, around 3 am by some men who masqueraded as police officers.
There are suspicions of state involvement in the murder of journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale a Ghanaian undercover investigative journalist and an associate of fellow Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas. He was killed on Wednesday, 16 January 2019 when unidentified men on motorbikes shot him three times, twice in the chest and once in his neck in his vehicle at Madina- Accra days after they were reported to have laid ambush for him.
The Herald, uncovered chilling developments revealing that operatives of Ghana’s National Security specifically from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) under the instruction of Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, were involved in last Thursday’s kidnapping of Sylvia Patience Baah, the Airport Services Manager for Emirates Airlines in Accra.
The incident, likened to the infamous June 30, 1982, abduction and killings of three High Court judges and a retired military officer, reportedly stemmed from Sylvia’s refusal to allow two National Security officials and a lady, travelling on an Emirates flight from Accra to Dubai onboard the aircraft, after their late arrival.
The flight in question, on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, had its doors almost closed and ready for takeoff when three passengers— Kwabena Adu-Boahene, the Director General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), Benjamin Ansah, Operations Director of the NSB, an agency of the National Security Council, and Rashida Saani Nasamu, — two of whom had arrived late at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA). Their names had several times, been announced but could not be traced.
Sylvia on her daily routine was to get her flight ready to leave on time at 18:55. Rashida Saani Nasamu, a 1st class passenger was at the gate to board, but refused to board because she wouldn’t go without her two colleagues, Kwabena Adu-Boahene and Benjamin Ansah alias “Nana Yaw”, alias “Nana Kofi”, alias “Ben Osei” who were delaying the flight.
The three names were paged in the airport announcements systems, however, they didn’t get to the gate on time, and hence they were deboarded from the flight to Dubai, where they were to connect to Israel’s Mediterranean city of Tel Aviv.
Rashida Saani, was heard casting insinuations on why her name was being paged in the airport PA system. She made a call in the presence of Kwabena Adu-Boahene, giving instructions that they deal with Sylvia who had deboarded them.
Some staff of Emirates heard her utterances and narrated it to their boss Sylvia, who told them to note Rasheeda’s threats and blame her if anything untoward happened to her.
Despite their connections to officials at the National Security Secretariat, Sylvia, adhering to Emirates’ strict policies on punctuality, rejected demands to reopen the aircraft doors. The plane subsequently departed without them.
Sylvia, known for her firm adherence to regulations, has a reputation for refusing to compromise Emirates’ operational standards, even for high-ranking state officials.
In a similar instance, she reportedly denied a request to delay a flight for the late Vice-President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, reminding his office that “this is not Ghana Airways.”
The three disgruntled passengers, led by Benjamin Adu Boahene, linked to the National Security Coordinator, Edward Asomani, eventually flew to Dubai the following day on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. However, they initiated efforts to “teach Sylvia a lesson.” This was after one of the two National Security officials, was also heard publicly swearing to deal with her over the matter.
Indeed, two days after the incident, specifically on Thursday, November 21, 2024, Sylvia was driving home after a Gym session, only to be crossed by two cars right in front of her house by heavily armed men. Two of the men who were in police uniforms, but without name tags, walked to her and accused her of driving a stolen car. They insisted on taking her and the car away. This was around 8 p.m.
They requested the car key which she said she didn’t know where it was at that moment. She tried calling her husband on her phone, but they twisted her arms and collected the phone from her.
She was then forcefully dragged out of her car, handcuffed, blindfolded and hauled into one of the state security cars and drove off to an unknown location.
Despite explaining that, the car was purchased by her husband, the operatives twisted her arms and confiscated her phone, when she attempted to report the matter to the husband. She was also accused of collecting bribes at the Airport which she denied.
On the day of Sylvia’s abduction, while on her way home from the gym, she noticed two vehicles, including a pickup, trailing her before one intercepted her near her residence off Spintex Road, Accra.
During her detention, at the undisclosed location for over 24 hours, she was interrogated and threatened with death, while in handcuff.
Amidst the viral social media posts and calls, she was dumped somewhere near Ashaiman, with her hands tied in rope and face still covered. It is believed that the viral social media reports about the abduction pressured the National Security thugs to release her.
She was eventually abandoned at Ashaiman near Tema on Friday, November 22, where she boarded Trotro and sought help at the Ashaiman Branch of Mawarko Restaurant, before being reunited with her family, when her husband drove in the company of his brother to pick her up.
Her phone was not returned by the National Security thugs, and she had to beg for someone’s phone to reach her husband.
Interestingly, the Ghana Police Service, initially claimed credit for Sylvia’s release, issuing a statement that investigations were underway and urging public cooperation. However, The Herald has verified that Sylvia’s release was not a result of police intervention. The couple rather reported the fact that she had been found to the Baatsonaa Police in Accra.
Additionally, other NIB operatives on the instruction of Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, its Director General, had stormed the Emirates offices and warned officials against discussing the incident publicly.
Rashida Saani Nasamu, who prefers to be known as Alhaji’s Wife, and was one of the late passengers, is said to have a history of leveraging her connections to the National Security Coordinator for personal vendettas.
She was mentioned as being on her way to Brussels – Belgium to meet with a powerful Ghanaian state official.
Similarly, Benjamin Adu-Boahene, is alleged to have engaged in cyber espionage, with claims of phone hacking and surveillance tied to him.
Indeed, Sylvia’s husband has since reported that his phone was wiped clean of all content after a suspicious call inquiring about her.
Despite assurances from Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare that investigations are ongoing, public skepticism remains high, particularly given the involvement of National Security and NIB operatives.
Interestingly, the police in a statement had expressed gratitude to individuals who provided valuable information during the rescue operation and to the public for their cooperation and support.
The IGP has been reported to have personally spoken to the victim and her family. The police statement said a team of police medical officers and clinical psychologists has been assigned to assist them in their recovery during this critical time.
Many fear the case may not progress, due to potential institutional interference. The Herald’s information is that an influential government insider who is closer to the National Security Coordinator, Edward Asomani and Attobrah Quaicoe has visited the home of Sylvia’s family to plead with her not to go public.
