Published by Inusah Dondaliya

6th March 2026

Haruna Institute, a political advocacy group affiliated to the Tamale South MP, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu has strongly dismissed allegations that the Lawmaker has influenced the withdrawal of the IGP’s Special Operations Team from Tamale.

According to the Haruna Institute, the Education Minister has no involvement in the operations of the police team neither meddled into their modus operandi, describing the reports linking him to the withdrawal of the ‘Black Maria Team’ as vile propaganda against him, vicious and malicious attempt to tarnish his reputation.

In a letter issued today, 6th March 2026, by CEO of Haruna Institute, Abdul Ganiu Sandow, stated that the MP serves no advisory role to the IGP neither the Police Council, hence cannot not be dragged into this matter, urging the general public to treat it with all the contempt it deserves.

“We wish to state,categorically and for the record,that the Hon.Haruna Iddrisu holds no advisory role to the Inspector General of Police(IGP),nor is he a member of the Police Council.He is,therefore,not clothed with any authority,statutory or otherwise to direct or influence the IGP in the execution of his official duties.Any suggestion to the contrary is false,malicious,and intended to mislead the public”.

Since the news broke in connection with the withdrawal of the IGP’s Special Operations Team from Tamale, Politicians from the Northern Region have been badly accused of orchestrating their exit with pointification of fingers at Hon. Haruna Iddrisu as the chief architect.

Against this backdrop, Haruna Institute has cleared the air, detaching the Lawmaker from all controversies engulfing the withdrawal of the Black Maria Team from operating in the Northern Region

Published by Inusah Dondaliya

6th March 2026

The Youth in Tamale are outraged against the withdrawal of IGP’s Special Operations Team, supporting their efforts to combating drug menace in the Northern Region.

They embarked on a protest across the streets of Tamale in response to a directive from IGP asking the Special Operations Team to abandon its mission in the region.

This has sparked the rage of the youth protesting vehemently against the directive, warning that the drug menace will exacerbate and drain moral fibre of society if the ‘Black Maria’ team quits the fight.

As part of the protest, on Thursday night, 5th March 2026, the angry youth visited some Traditional Rulers and Religious Leaders in Tamale to express their displeasure over the Special Operations Team’s withdrawal, imploring on the Leaders to intervene.

The Youth also called on the Mayor of Tamale, Hon. Abu Takoro at his residence in Lamashegu to weigh into the matter by using his power to reverse the withdrawal.

Before the protest, the youth massed up at the Global Dream Hotel, where the Special Taskforce Team lodges, to show support to their efforts in fighting drug canker all this while and openly oppose their withdrawal from Tamale.

According to the rumor mill, a powerful politician in the Northern Region is displeased with the operations of the team and has meddled into their affairs, ordering the police hierarchy to stop the special operations team from operating in Tamale with immediate effect.

The Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yahuno has asked the IGP special Operations Team in Tamale to withdraw services with immediate effect.

This follows calls from several quarters in Dagbon including traditional rulers and some politicians demanding the removal of the special taskforce team from Tamale over what they describe as excesses perpetrated by the IGP’s Operations Team.

Among other things, a prominent traditional ruler in Dagbon recently accused the leader of the IGP’s Special Operations Team, DSP Alhaj Jalil Bawah of desecrating traditional authority in Dagbon after he led his team to arrest suspects at his palace.

Speaking to Alhaj Jalil Bawah, he has confirmed the directive by the IGP asking him to stop operations in Tamale and move his team to Accra as soon as possible for further instructions.

Ghananewsnet.com has gathered that a powerful politician in the Northern Region is displeased with the operations of the team and has meddled into their affairs, ordering the police hierarchy to stop the special operations team from operating in Tamale with immediate effect.

Since assigned to the Northern Region, the IGP’s Special Operation Team has been clamping down on criminals engaged in illicit drugs sale, and also arresting
youth consumed by hard drugs.

Their efforts have yielded possitive results as the sale of the drugs has substantially received a decline in the region with many of the youth also abstaining from the menace.