Deputy Defence Minister, Major Derrick Oduro (Rtd) has disclosed that security agencies in the country have begun a nationwide counter-terrorism exercise to combat the terror threat on Ghana.
Speaking on Asempa FM's 'Ekosiisen' programme on Monday, June 10, the deputy minister said security personnel have been deployed to most places in a counter-terrorism exercise especially places where a lot of people visit like the malls, markets and churches.
According to him, most of the deployed personnel are not in uniform, therefore, the citizens should not panic due to the threat to the country.
Responding to the crime alert issued by the UK and Canada, the Minister said the announcement by the two countries are not new because they are the countries having a confrontation with these terrorist groups, for which the terrorists will also want to fight their interest.
Major Derrick Oduro (Rtd) explained that the security apparatus of the country is well prepared to prevent any attack on the country.
Speaking on the recent kidnappings in the country especially the kidnapping of two Canadians in Kumasi which necessitated the alert from the two countries, the Defence Minister said kidnapping is an emerging crime and they are putting in place steps to rescue the kidnapped victims and also prevent such actions in the future.
He further called on the public to be ready to report any suspicious behaviour from individuals and the public should not try engaging such people but rather report to the appropriate officials train to handle it.
The Africa Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (ACSIS) last month issued a security alert that the Salafi Jihadist group based in Burkina Faso had been moving in and out of Ghana through the border with Burkina Faso over the past four months.
The militants are reported to have killed four Burkinabe customs officers at a checkpoint at Nohao, near the Ghana border, and burnt three vehicles in February 2019.
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