The Ghana Police Service has made a significant breakthrough in the recent incidents of looting and property destruction in Damongo and Tamale. A total of 12 individuals have been apprehended for their alleged involvement in these criminal activities.
The chaos in Damongo stemmed from a heated disagreement during the collation of the 2024 presidential and parliamentary election results. This led to some angry youth in the area setting fire to the district Electoral Commission (EC) office. The parliamentary race in Damongo is closely contested between the incumbent MP of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Abu Jinapor, and his main contender, Adam Mutawakilu Garlus of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The police have confirmed that the suspects not only attacked and caused damage to state properties but also looted and vandalized collation centres. In Tamale, the suspects forcibly entered the School Feeding Project warehouse and made off with various items, including foodstuffs.
Footages of the attacks, vandalism, and looting have been obtained by the police and are currently being reviewed by a team of investigators to identify and apprehend other perpetrators.
In response to the incidents in Damongo, the National Peace Council has condemned the violence and called on all stakeholders, including the EC and political parties, to maintain professionalism in their duties to reduce tensions in the area. The Peace Council emphasized the importance of political parties withdrawing their supporters from collation centres to facilitate a smooth process.
The Ghana Police Service has shared updates on the arrests and investigations on their social media platforms. The public is urged to cooperate with the authorities to ensure that justice is served and peace is restored in the affected regions.
