channel247 online
The Member of Parliament for Walewale, Dr Mahama Tiah Abdul-Kabiru, has strongly condemned an alleged assault by military personnel on a journalist and several civilians in the Walewale Township of the North East Region.
In a statement dated Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the MP alleged that soldiers travelling in an armoured vehicle and a military truck from Bolgatanga to Tamale stopped in Walewale around 1:00 p.m. on Monday, January 26, 2026, and, without provocation, assaulted the Northeast Regional Correspondent of Media General and other residents.
According to Dr Abdul-Kabiru, the soldiers also destroyed personal property, including motorbikes and commercial vehicles belonging to civilians at the scene, leaving the town in a state of fear and apprehension.
The MP further stated that the journalist was detained for more than four hours after the alleged assault, while video evidence of injuries sustained, which had been recorded on the reporter’s mobile phone, was allegedly destroyed.
Dr Abdul-Kabiru said preliminary checks with the Walewale District Police Command and the military detachment in the area suggested that the operation was neither sanctioned nor officially communicated to local security authorities.
He noted that the incident was not isolated, recalling a similar alleged attack in February 2025 involving the same journalist, two other media practitioners and several civilians, some of whom reportedly sustained permanent injuries without compensation.
Describing the situation as troubling, the MP accused the military of acting with impunity under the guise of maintaining law and order, warning that such conduct could lead to dangerous military-civilian confrontations if left unchecked.
He dismissed claims that recent unrest justified the alleged actions, stating that residents had remained calm and law-abiding despite ongoing dissatisfaction over the handling of the Bawku conflict and the lack of military escort for travellers.
Dr Abdul-Kabiru has called on the Acting Minister for Defence to institute an immediate investigation into the incident and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, stressing that the indiscriminate use of force against civilians was unacceptable in a democratic society.
Find the press statement below
