Police Invite Naabu Over Armed �Macho Men� Comment

Police in the Northern Region have confirmed that the Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Daniel Bugri Naabu, has been invited for questioning over unsavoury comments regarding the December elections.

Mr Naabu said at the party's rally at Savelugu a few days ago that the party would deploy armed macho men to guard ballot boxes on December 7.

The police have already cautioned political parties against the use of vigilante groups on Election Day to forestall any incidences of violence that could lead to chaos.

The Public Relations Officer of the Northern regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP) Ebenezer Tetteh, who spoke to Graphic Online in an interview on Wednesday, October 19, said police had “contacted Mr Naabu on the matter but he is currently at Kpandai and has promised that when he comes back he would honour the invitation".

Already security analyst Dr Kwesi Aning had suggested that it was high time the security agencies, especially the Ghana Police Service, started inviting for questioning politicians who incite violence.

Speaking in an interview with Emefa Apawu on Class91.3FM’s 505 news programme on Tuesday, 18 October, about the recent comment by Mr Naabu, Dr Kwesi Aning said: “There is something wrong somewhere.”

Dr Aning said the use of such language was festering because, “First, the security agencies, especially the police service, are not using the law to deter people from hateful and inciting language.

“Number two is the failure of the political parties themselves and their leadership to distance themselves from statements that are unbecoming of their political parties. …I think all our political parties have failed in terms of the language that they use that really insult our common humanity, so, there is a problem here and I think it casts a slur on all of us as Ghanaians and I’m hoping that the Ghana Police Service will be a little bit bolder and proactive in inviting people for a polite conversation and encouraging them to desist from using language that is threatening, that is abusive, that is hateful, and encourages and glorifies the use of violence.”

In his view, once the Police Service starts inviting politicians for questioning, it will serve as a deterrent.