PROSPER AGBENYEGA
Passengers travelling on buses from Ghana to Togo and Nigeria through Aflao are believed to be facing some tough times with some B.N.I and National Security operatives in the area.
Information gathered indicated that these Security operatives do take passports belonging to the travellers and charge each person Gh¢10.00 before allowing the vehicles to move.
According to some travellers who have been faced with such incidents, these security officers mostly get onboard their vehicles in pretense of checking record of criminals traveling along the border, and used the occasion to collect money from each traveller.
However, a security expert in Aflao Emmanuel Akpaloo condemned the development and pointed out that National Security operatives don’t have the mandate to collect money from travellers and that such behaviour is criminal.
According to him, revenue collection is a sole responsibility of CEPS-GRA and that the duty of the B.N.I has to be redefined because “I don’t see any integrity. This is not the B.N.I we know,” he said.
He pointed out that the B.N.I and the National Security in Aflao have abandoned their core mandate and have taken over duties of the Revenue Authorities.
He revealed that a report was made to the B.N.I concerning vehicles loaded with bullets concealed in Pepsodent cartons crossing to Togo under the watch of Aflao police through unapproved route, but the B.N.I according to him dismissed the report and failed to allow the informant to give details of the information.
Some residents castigated the B.N.I and accused them of negligence and failure to prevent then said vehicle with bullets from crossing to Togo.
Emmanuel Akpaloo said what is happening in Aflao is a clear case of “a culture of impunity that has been allowed to flourish by Aflao B.N.I”
He therefore called for a thorough investigation into the information and activities of security personnel in Aflao.
According to him, with the current unrest in Togo, Ghana must take keen interest in protecting its territory since the security agencies are responsible for any uprising that may occur.
“On more serious note an officer of B.N.I. Mr John Kugblanu has to be cautioned. He has been recklessly dealing with informants who are willing to give credible information to them on some of these wrongdoings,” he said.
Acording to Emmanuel Akpaloo our security needs to be uplifted and not to be undermined by some selfish officers because he thinks “public trust and confidence in the intelligence of the security institutions and community is crucial.”
By PROSPER AGBENYEGA