Published on Saturday February 15th 2025
The Member Parliament of Walewale, Dr. Kabiru Mahama has criticized the Government’s decision to impose a curfew on the people of Walewale in the wake of attacks on travelers around the enclave.
While condemning the attack on travelers around Walewale, the MP noted that the decision to impose of curfew on his constituents was poorly made and politically motivated and provided no solution to the underlying problem.
In a Facebook post today Saturday, 15th February 2025, in response to the curfew imposed on the people, Dr. Kabiru Mahama wondered how the Interior Ministry together with the Ministry of Defense consulted MPs from the Bawku area without extending the same courtesy to him and the affected constituents.
He lampooned the decision, saying it does not seek to foster peace except an attempt to use state power to unjustifiably punish innocent civilians.
Dr. Kabiru indicated that if the Government was so minded and believed that curfew was the best security measure to curb the disturbances, it ought to have covered areas such as Binduri, Ziblila, Garu and all the areas where there have been attacks of travelers, to and from Bawku.
The Walewale MP, suggested that enhancement of security patrol of the highway and escort of travelers would have been the reasonable security measures to prevent attacks on people on the highways.
Below is the Facebook post by the Walewale MP.
Re- IMPOSITION OF CURFEW ON WALEWALE AND ITS ENVIRONS IN THE NORTH EAST REGION.
My attention has been drawn to the above development following two incidents allegedly connected to the Bawku crisis in the Walewale constituency. While I reiterate my earlier condemnation of the attack on travelers in and around Walewale I wish to emphatically state that the decision was poorly made and politically motivated and provides no solution to the underlying problem.
Firstly, the Interior Ministry together with the Ministry of Defense consulted with MPs from the Bawku area without extending an olive branch to those of us equally affected in this matter. This is clearly a decision that does not seek to foster peace but an attempt to use state power to unjustifiably punish innocent civilians.
Secondly, if the government was minded and sincerely believed that curfew was the best security measure at the moment, it ought to have covered areas such as Binduri, Ziblila, Garu, and all the areas where there have been attacks of travelers, to and from Bawku, surprisingly under military escort. Between December 2021 and till date there have been at least 25 attacks in these areas, 3 of which occurred in the last one month. The selective application of this security measure suggests that the lives of travelers to and from Bawku do not matter.
Thirdly, a reasonable security measure would have been an enhancement of patrol of the highway and escort of travelers. Half of the police and military personnel that will be used to enforce this curfew would have provided security for travelers and businesses.
Fourthly, this preconceived plan was exposed when the military without any provocation innocently brutalized civilians on the 15th of January 2025. Even though the military later on apologized, the recent atrocities against civilians by the military are clearly not only unlawful but distasteful and in bad faith. In the last two days, the military has tortured any person on sight in Kukua, Loagri, Walewale, Gbimsi, and Wulugu communities leading to the loss of one life and several others maimed. I shall liaise with the families of the deceased and other victims to use all legal means to seek justice for them.
Lastly , the decision to impose the curfew and communication from the Interior Minister to convey same suggest that the people of Walewale are those responsible for the attacks. This is clearly a deliberate misunderstanding of the situation. To further suggest that guns are carried by people of Walewale is unfortunate. It is true that some people are using the poor security situation to stage attacks, but the people of Walewale ought not to take the punishment for the failure of security to fish out those responsible.
Let me however appeal to the public and people of Walewale to help the security services to maintain peace in the area. Clearly, violence should have no place in our society and cooperation with the security agencies is key to fostering peace and stability.
I wish to also appeal to the Interior Ministry to review this decision and engage comprehensively to achieve the common goal of peace and stability. Any forceful implementation of this measure will create animosity and anger which could further fuel the crisis in Bawku.
Story by: Inusah Dondaliya
