Western Togoland Separatists Kidnap 3 Officers

A police station in the Volta Region has been attacked by suspected Western Togoland separatists group, Homeland Study Group Foundation.

The group has for several months been fighting for the independence of Western Togoland from Ghana.

On Friday, September 25, 2020, the group blocked roads linking the Volta Region to the Eastern and Greater Accra Regions.

Reports available to DGN Online also suggest that members of the group allegedly broke into a police station in the Volta Region, stealing ammunitions.

They reportedly 'kidnapped' three police officers and assaulted them, with two of the officers said to be in critical condition.

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, on Joy News confirmed the incident and said that an operation is underway to free the Police Officers who are currently being held by the secessionist group.

He said that “It's a critical security situation we're dealing with right now. We're coordinating activities of the security services,”

He assured that within an hour or two the “situation will be brought under control, adding that, efforts are underway to get them released,” he said in connection with the arrest of the three police officers.

Previous Arrest

In late May, Security forces arrested 14 persons suspected to be linked to separatists Homeland Study Group Foundation.

The 13 persons – 11 males and three females – were picked up at a meeting at Sovie in the Volta region.

Background

The group based in Ho, known as the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSF), has been pushing for the secession of parts of Ghana along the border with Togo. These areas cover the Volta, Oti, Northern, North East and Upper East Regions of Ghana.

The group claims that the areas which formed this part of Ghana were an independent state before being made to join Ghana in a plebiscite in 1956.

The group further argued that by the dictates of the 1956 plebiscite, the terms were no longer binding on the parties, and that, even certain portions of present Ghana were not considered during the referendum.

To this end, the group claims the time has come to separate Western Togoland from Ghana and make it stand as an independent state.

The Leader of the group, an 86 year old Charles Kormi Kudzodzi, declared independence for the 'Western Togoland' territory on November 16, 2019, at a group meeting in Ho.

He has since been hiding following an order by the Ho District Court for his arrest and two others for the “unlawful independence declaration”.

As if this is not enough, the group had designed their own national currency, flag and composed their own national anthem.

In February 2020, 21 persons alleged to have been recruited to be enlisted into the Western Togoland army were arrested at a secret training camp at Kpevedui in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region.

---Daily Guide