Source abcnews
News Ghana
Withdraw military from Bawku immediately—security expert warns
Security expert Richard Kumador has urged the government to immediately withdraw military personnel from Bawku, describing their continued deployment as counterproductive to peace-building in the conflict-prone municipality.
His comments come in the wake of reports of civilian beatings and alleged shootings following fresh clashes involving Kusasi youth.
Kumador warned that involving the military in civil conflict situations was a flawed strategy.
“We don’t use the military to resolve people’s crises. It’s not helping us,” he said in an interview with ABC News GH.
According to Kumador, the military’s role in society, democracy, and conflict resolution should be carefully defined. He stressed that the nature of civil unrest in Bawku requires tact and mediation—not force.
“Once you send the military, you should expect some of these high-standard vulnerabilities… They can’t take nonsense from civilians,” he noted, suggesting that the Ghana Police Service should be allowed to handle the situation.
He further explained that continuous military presence risks escalating the situation rather than restoring peace.
His call comes amidst wider scrutiny of the military’s role in internal conflicts and criticism over the handling of alleged human rights abuses.
Kumador warned that militarizing civil conflicts erodes public trust in the armed forces and breeds fear and resentment among local populations.
