Abstract
The 11th July 2025 parliamentary rerun in Ablekuma North Constituency, intended to resolve electoral disputes from Ghana’s December 2024 elections, descended into chaos due to coordinated violence. This analysis examines the collapse of the security architecture, evidencing allegations of police complicity, systemic intelligence failures, and the perpetuation of electoral violence. Drawing on eyewitness reports, arrest records, and historical parallels, it is argued that the democratic integrity of Ghana is imperiled by institutionalised impunity and flawed security protocols.
- INTRODUCTION
The Unfolding Crisis
The Ablekuma North rerun, conducted across 19 polling stations, was mandated by the Electoral Commission (EC) after inconclusive results of December 2024. Despite assurances from the Ghana Police Service and Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah that only police would handle security , the exercise devolved into violence.
Key incidents included:
- Physical assaults on former MP, Hawa Koomson; NPP candidate Nana Akua Afriyie, and journalists.
- Arrests of individuals disguised in “brown security uniforms” near polling stations .
- Attacks on four journalists, including one assaulted by a police officer .
These events reflect a pattern of an unfortunate security breakdowns during Ghanaian elections, notably the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election and 2020 general elections .
- ANATOMY OF SECURITY FAILURES
- Pre-Election Intelligence Gaps
- Inadequate Threat Assessment: Police ignored historical volatility in Ablekuma North. Past incidents, including the 2020 Kasoa shooting involving Hawa Koomson , signaled high risks of retaliation. No specialissed units (e.g., counter-vigilante teams) were deployed despite warnings.
- Fake Security Infiltration: At Awoshie DVLA polling station, individuals impersonating security personnel were arrested. They wore “brown uniforms” resembling police attire but carried no valid IDs . Their proximity to voting centers suggested intent to intimidate voters or aid disruptions.
- Operational Lapses During Voting
- Passive Policing: At St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church, “macho men” stormed polling stations, assaulting Koomson and others while police response lagged . Eyewitnesses reported officers “adjusting berets while chaos reigned” .
- Active Complicity: A police officer slapped journalist Kwabena Agyekum Banahene at Church of Pentecost polling station, restricting media access . The officer, later interdicted, exemplified how state actors enabled violence.
- Delayed Containment: Though police arrested fake operatives, they failed to preempt attacks at Odorkor Methodist 1. Thugs arrived in pickup trucks, suggesting advance planning .
- Command and Coordination Deficiencies
- Resource Misallocation: The Accra Regional Police deployed personnel to 19 stations but omitted mobile patrols or rapid-response teams. Defence Minister Boamah’s exclusion of the military, citing police capability, overlooked capacity gaps.
- Intelligence-Policing Disconnect: Security analyst Richard Kumadoe attributed failures to “police strategy failure” . Suspects disguised as officers evaded detection until public tip-offs, indicating poor vetting.
- STRUCTURAL ENABLERS OF VIOLENCE
- Vigilantism and Political Patronage
Vigilantism and Related Offenses Act (2019) of Ghana criminalises partisan militias, yet parties skirt regulations via rebranded groups. The NDC and NPP traded accusations post-violence , but neither disavowed affiliated thugs. Arrested “brown-uniformed” suspects may belong to such networks, exploiting security uniforms for legitimacy .
- Culture of Impunity
- Historical Inaction: CDD-Ghana documents show 2020 electoral violence victims never received justice . The Ayawaso Commission’s recommendations were shelved, emboldening perpetrators.
- Partisan Interference: The pledge of the police to “pursue suspects” lacks credibility. Past investigations stalled due to political pressure, as with Malik Basintale (NDC) and Mustapha Gbande (NDC), accused by Parliament’s Minority of instigating violence .
- TABLE 1: COMPARATIVE CONTEXT: GHANA’S RECURRING SECURITY DEFICIT
| Incident | Security Failure | Outcome |
| Ayawaso (2019) | Masked “National Security” shot 20 civilians | No prosecutions; reforms ignored |
| 2020 Elections | 8 deaths; police inaction at hotspots | Cases stalled indefinitely |
| Ablekuma (2025) | Uniformed complicity; intelligence lapse | Investigations announced |
Ablekuma mirrors the playbook of Ayawaso : state-adjacent actors infiltrate elections, and investigations become politicised .
- RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORM
- Specialised Electoral Security Unit: The police must intensively be trained in crowd control, intelligence gathering, and rapid response. Integrate Inter-Party Dialogue Systems (IPDS) for real-time threat sharing.
- Enforce Vigilantism Act: The State must prosecute parties funding militias. The U.S. visa ban threat for instigators should motivate accountability.
- Body Cameras and Oversight: The Ghana Police Service must mandate bodycams for officers at polling stations. It must also establish an independent Electoral Integrity Commission or Committee to audit security operations.
- Media Protection Protocols: Safe zones ought to be designated for journalists and penalise assaults as felonies under Article 162 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
- CONCLUSION
A Test for Ghana’s Democracy
The Ablekuma North violence was not spontaneous but a product of institutional neglect. Police complicity, whether through acquiescence or active participation, undermines Ghana’s democratic compact. As security expert Kumadoe warns, recurring impunity risks normalising election violence as “Ghana’s civic exorcism” . Only decisive prosecutions, depoliticised security reforms, and societal condemnation can break this cycle. Ghana’s reputation as Africa’s democratic beacon hangs in the balance.
Collins Tetteh Abeni, Offinso College of Education (0202 233 902/ 0261 546 102)
REFERENCES
Ghana Police Service. (2025). Ablekuma North Rerun: Arrests of Suspects in Security Uniforms. Graphic Online.
CDD-Ghana. (2025). Electoral Violence and Vigilantism in Ghana. MyJoyOnline.
Kumadoe, R. (2025). Security Strategy Assessment. Cititv Interview.
Ghana Journalists Association. (2025). Assaults on Journalists During Elections. GhanaWeb.
Accra Regional Police Command. (2025). Statement on Ablekuma North Investigations. Graphic Online.
GBC Ghana. (2025). Fake Security Personnel Arrests.
MyJoyOnline. (2025). Impersonators Near Polling Stations.
Boamah, E. O. (2025). No Military Deployment Directive. Graphic Online.
Aglah, J. (2025). Ballots, Boots & Broken Ribs: Democracy’s Assault. MyJoyOnline.
Quartey, E. N. K. (2025). Legal Analysis of Electoral Assaults. Modern Ghana.
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