The National Security says the foreigners at the centre of the “blame game” between the Ghana Police Service (GPS) and Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) are not missing, but have been repatriated to their respective countries since September, last year.
It clarified that they were 47 African nationals who were arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal Network Marketing (QNET) in the Ashanti Region and not “48 alleged terrorists” as reported yesterday.
This was contained in a GIS report on the matter made available to the Ghanaian Times yesterday by the National Security to clarify a report on the issue on Thursday.
Dated January 5, 2023, the document said the 47 expatriates included 33 Camerounians, six Burkinabes, five Senegalese, two Chadians and one person from Central African Republic.
The National Security noted that 27 of them were arrested at Ekyem and Akokoamong, near Ejisu, by the Ejisu Municipal Immigration Command on September 25, 2022, for the alleged QNET, referred to the Ashanti Regional Command and subsequently repatriated to their various home countries on September 26 and 27, 2022.
The remaining 20 were arrested at Achiase, near Ejisu, by the Formed Police Unit (FPU) of the Ashanti Regional Police Command and were referred to the Ashanti Regional Command, following which they were repatriated to their various home countries on September, 29, 2022.
The report said the African nationals were repatriated through Hamile in the Upper West Region, and Aflao in the Volta Region.
The Ghanaian Times on Wednesday reported that confusion had erupted over the whereabouts of 48 foreigners who were arrested in connec¬tion with alleged terrorism and other fraudulent acts in September, last year.
While the police claimed the suspects were handed over to the GIS in the Ejisu Municipality to deal with them, the GIS insisted the police handled the matter.
A police source at the Ejisu Divisional Police Command told the Ghanaian Times in a follow-up exercise that the operation to arrest the suspects was carried out by the GIS.
However, the Ejisu Commander of the GIS, Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI) Alfred Nii Boye Lartey, when contacted on phone, claimed the suspects were dealt with by the police.
“Please go to the Police for whatever information you want because we handed over the suspects to them,” he insisted.
BY TIMES REPORTER
