“Enough of the social media policing” – Johnnie Hughes slams IGP over Police bullion van robberies

TV3’s broadcaster and NewDay host,Mr Johnnie Beresford Hughes  has taken a swipe at the Inspector General of the Ghana Police Service, IGP George Akufo Dampare following report some members of the service are behind recent bullion van robberies in the country.

 Policemen implicated in Bullion van robberies

 The Ghana Police Service on March 7, revealed in a statement, investigations have established the involvement of two policemen in the bullion van robberies recorded in the country.

Another statement on March 9,the service said four more plus a civilian have been arrested in connection with same.

Speaking on Johnnie’s Bite on Thursday, March 10, monitored by GhanaPlus.com, he said “We are reading that the people who have been mandated, who we feed, cloth, house and pay with our tax payers’ money are the very people who are now robbing us and killing us including their colleagues.

“The police said it themselves, I am not manufacturing it so I am asking the IGP this morning, IGP Dampare, enough of the social media policing. Are we safe?. Enough of the social media policing. You are trying to raise the positive image of the police, you are trying to get the police some reputational capital but IGP Dampare, enough of the social media policing, there is fire on the mountain, your backyard is dirty”.

Johnnie Hughes noted although, the IGP’s new approach is admirable , he noted that was not the reason for his appointment and urged him to quit that and work and clear the service of the rot.

“….So IGP Dampare, good morning to you, am sorry, enough of the social media policing. Enough of visiting this place with your OPS and people following you about and you taking live Facebook and whatever it is and greeting people, it good, is nice PR work but enough of it, that is not why you are there,” Johnnie Hughes emphasized.

Bullion van attacks

Ghana, in recent times has been met with unfortunate news of bullion van robberies leading to the gruesome murder of some policemen and civilians.

On January 18, 2021 some highway robbers numbering about 10 were reported to have attacked a bullion van traveling on a section of the Adansi Fomena road in the Ashanti Region and made away with an amount of ¢500,000.

A policeman escorting the van was killed and his AK47 assault rifle was stolen. The driver however, survived.

On March 1, a bullion van belonging to a popular bank in the country was robbed on the Spintex road in Accra at Baatsona near the Danpong Hospital by some armed men numbering about 4, eye witnesses said.

A police officer escorting was assaulted while the driver and another official from the bank escaped unharmed.

 Again in June the same year, two bullion van attacks were recorded in a span of 3 days.

The first was recorded on June 14 at Adedenkpo near James Town in Accra.

A young police officer escorting the van and a woman were killed. The driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries and the robbers bolted with the money.

The second was recorded on June 17, just three days after the first. Passengers in a bullion van with registration number GN 6956- 17 were attacked on Okyereko and Dominase road on the Winneba-Accra highway.

Luckily, the driver, and two policemen onboard escaped on harmed and an amount of ¢550,000 onboard the van was secured.

2021 again, in October and  in Tarkwa in the Western Region, two armed men robbed the content of a bullion van amidst sporadic shooting.

The robbers, the media reported made away with a whopping ¢107,000 and more on the van in front of a super market in the centre of the town.

Source: GhanaPlus.com