The Upper East Regional Police Commander DCOP Simon Afeku has charged residents of the Bolgatanga municipality to exercise the civil responsibility of reporting suspected criminals to the police for apprehension.
Bolgatanga municipality in recent times has been inundated with robbery attacks and other violent crimes. This unfortunate situation has to some extent generated a high level of insecurity amongst residents and most especially riders of motor bikes following incessant violent attacks and snatching of bikes. In what has become “self-imposed curfew,” most residents have resolved to avoid riding during late hours and also using obscured routes.
In a recent operation by the police in Bolgatanga, a 30 year old notorious armed robber Apusiga Akanbasi who has been on the wanted list of the police was gunned down on Wednesday following a tip off by residents of Dachio where the ex-convict was hiding and receiving treatment for gunshot wounds.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East on Friday, regional police commander DCOP Simon Afeku called on residents to volunteer information to the police in order to help apprehend individuals who have been terrorizing communities in the area.
According to him, society has the responsibility to encourage and support the work of the police by providing vital information that can lead to quick response to criminals and their activities. He intimated that society lives with these criminals because they are relatives and friends but the onus lie on the same society to report them and not protect them.
DCOP Afeku noted that “As we continue to intensify our activities, let me remind my good people of this region that society has the responsibility to support and encourage police work especially by providing vital information on criminals and their activities. I know we live with them because they are our husbands, friends, relatives etc. but we owe that responsibility to let them out so that the law can deal with them. We should not harbor them.”
He added that police visibility and patrol in the region have been intensified following his decision to move his men into the communities on patrol at night to improve the security situation. He also sounded a word of caution to individuals who are at large and unleashing terror and other criminal activities unto residents to desist because the service is bent on nipping them in the bud.
“We want to tell them that they can run but they can never hide” he warned.
By: Azongo Albert | A1RADIOONLINE.com | GHANA
