Mahama Ayariga Petitions CHRAJ Over Alleged Fatal Military Violence
The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga has furthered his allegation of military brutality against some of his constituents with a petition to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
He lodged a complaint with the Commission on Friday, January 3 alleging some members of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) engaged in Operation Gongong in Bawku killed ten civilians.
Allegation
The shooting incident first came to public notice when the legislator in a press release recounted a series of events that led to the death toll which he put at 6 at the time.
According to him, the military embarked on sporadic shootings on Tuesday while responding to a shooting incident in his constituency and embarked on “several unspeakable brutalities”.
“Reports reaching me are to the effect that there were gun fires last night across the Bawku town. The military as part of their effort to curtail the situation chased anyone they saw”, the press statement dated February 1 said.
In an attempt to save their lives, he said, some civilians who looked on decided to flee for their lives but were gunned down by the military.
GAF Rebuttal
In a press statement, the Ghana Armed Forces denied the allegations as “false and unfounded”.
It however noted that a military response to sporadic shootings at Sabongari General Area led to the death of 6 armed men.
“Sporadic Shooting was heard at Sabongari General Area. A patrol team dispatched to assess the situation spotted unknown armed men at Gozesi valley side in Sabongari wearing black T-shirts with Black hoodies. Troops engaged them and neutralised six of the armed men.”
According to the GAF, some of the armed men took cover in nearby homes to engage the military, however, the Military professionally dealt with the situation.
Petition To CHRAJ
Mahama Ayariga filed the petition asserting that the military violated the fundamental human right to life as enshrined in article 13 of the Constitution, Children’s rights under article 28, property rights and women’s rights.
According to the petition sighted by opemsuo.com, the ages of the 10 killed citizens ranges from 12 to 16 years.
“Among the rights violated included the sacred right to life of 10 citizens of Bawku who were shot to death by members of the armed forces engaged in Operation Gongong in Bawku on Tuesday 31st January and Wednesday 1st February 2023. Children’s rights. Women’s rights and property rights were violated.”
Among the remedies he seeks to include “Compensation of Five Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc 500,000.00) for each and every one of those whose lives were taken to be paid to their immediate families as punitive damage; Restraining the members of the Ghana Armed Forces from further acts of brutalities in Bawku in the exercise of their responsibilities to maintain peace in Bawku and; Adequate compensation to those who have suffered physical harm”.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
