Angry Protestors Attack Police Station, VRA Office In Tamale

Some angry demonstrators on Saturday afternoon, September 25, 2021 attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters at Lamashegu, a suburb in the Tamale Metropolis, as well as the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) main office of the Volta River Authority (VRA).

The perpetrators who are yet to be identified, broke some glass windows of the Divisional Police Headquarters and the NEDCO/VRA office, as well as those of some vehicles parked at the divisional headquarters.

It is unclear why the attack, however it comes in wake of a recent NEDCO/VRA led operation with the support of the police in Zujung, Lamashegu and Nakpan Zou in the Tamale Metropolis to clamp down on power thefts, during which some police officers who were part of the operation were alleged to have assaulted some residents in those communities in a viral video.

Police
The Northern Regional Police Crime Officer, Superintendent Bernard Baba Ananga who confirmed the attacks to Graphic Online said the reason for the attacks is not immediately known but investigation was underway to establish the cause of the attack and bring the perpetrators to book.

He said some residents of the area decided to hold a press conference following the Tuesday incident in which some police officers were seen assaulting some residents.

He said some of the residents however, decided to embark on what he described as an ‘illegal demonstration’ and it was during that protest march that some of the residents attacked the divisional headquarters and the NEDCO/VRA main office in town and vandalised some property.

Supt Ananga said no arrests have been made but investigations were underway.

Graphic Online gathered that the residents embarked on the demonstration to submit a petition to some chiefs within the metropolis over recent police brutalisation of some persons over alleged illegal power connection.

Tempers however flared up when the demonstrators got to the police headquarters at Lamashegu where they were alleged to have attacked and in the process damaged some property.

The demonstrators then marched to the main office of the NEDCO/VRA in town and also damaged some property.

The angry demonstrators from the NEDCO/VRA office headed to the Northern Regional Police Headquarters but could not enter as the police had mounted a barricade before a military contingent was called in to stop the demonstrators.

Apology
The Police High Command in the region and NEDCO/VRA have since apologised for the misconduct of the police officers during the said operation to clamp down on illegal connection

The Police Administration has also interdicted four police officers in connection with the alleged assault on the residents during the operation.

By: graphiconline.com