The Inspector General of Police (IGP) has directed his Chief Staff Officer to write to the Upper East Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service to beef up security in Bawku and along the borders following intelligence that some Burkinabe fighters may be involved in the conflict.
According to the letter written by ACP Alex Kwame Safo-Adu and chanced upon by 3news.com, some Burkinabe nationals from the Boulgou province were seen retreating to Burkina Faso following an operation by Ghanaian security forces to arrest perpetrators of violence in the area.
It said there was information that “some of the arms used in the recent disturbances in the area were reportedly smuggled from Burkina Faso”.
“However, there are no established links between the Burkinabe fighters and terrorist cells.
“Although the Burkinabe nationals involved in the Bawku conflict may be motivated by tribal ties and financial gains, the security situation in the area could serve as a conduit for jihadists and violent extremists to infiltrate and radicalise the local populace to advance their course,” the letter warned.
It is in the light of this that the IGP wants security heightened in the area as jihadist-related activities have been recorded in the Boulgou province and “pose a serious security threat to the country”.
Recent disturbances in the Upper East Region town has led to fatalities.
A clash between residents of the town and military officers last month left three of the soldiers injured.
The disturbances have been traced to tribal tension but with the new intelligence, the police will have to change their strategy in fighting the conflict.
