IGP must take ‘chunk of the blame’ for National Security mess – Martin Kpebu

Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has said the failure of the Inspector General Police (IGP) to implement a key recommendation by the Emile Short Commission report has contributed to the mess that has characterised the operation of the National Security Council Secretariat.

The Emile Short Commission that probed the Ayawaso West Wuogon violence recommended that DSP Samuel Kojo Azugu should be reassigned following the brutalities that characterised a by-election in the constitution in 2019.

DSP Azugu was in charge of National Security operatives that brutalised civilians at a polling station at Bawaleshie during the by-election.

At least 16 persons were injured after masked operatives, under the command of DSP Azugu, attacked the residence of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate on suspicion that there was a stockpile of arms there.

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The disbandment of the group that he commands was also recommended.

The government, in a white paper, accepted those recommendations but two years on, DSP Azugu still remains at post.

Speaking on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM today, Mr Kpebu said that had the IGP, James Oppong-Boanuh, implemented the Commission’s recommendation recent illegal attacks on civilians by the operatives would not crop up again.

The operatives are in the news again following the recent attacks on Citi FM’s Caleb Kudah and DCOP Ayesu Opare-Addo.

“The IGP too should take a chunk of the blame because when the Ayawaso West Wuogon Commission report…recommended that the team be disbanded, my understanding is that once these are IGP’s men, he should ask for them to be re-assigned,” he said.

He said it seems the IGP is cowering to the authority of the Ministry of National Security.

“Azugu is a policeman. He and his people are policemen. So, all he had to do was to re-assign them to other places. Why has he left them there? And think that we will blame only the politicians and not blame him. He is also to blame,” he stressed.

“How can adults sit down and let these things happen in this country?” he quizzed.