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Kill Or Be Killed

By Daily Guide
Editorial Kill Or Be Killed
MAY 8, 2018 LISTEN

The above-mentioned headline sums up the rules of engagement between the Police and the new breed of robbers in the country. Little wonder, both parties are prepared to pull the trigger when necessary.

While the police would ready their safety catch and only pull the trigger when it becomes necessary, the armed robbers would kill right away when they spot the law enforcement agents. That is how come many cops have fallen since the hoodlums commenced their onslaught.

We are pleased to note, however, that the daredevil robbers are on the back foot as the law enforcement agents become more determined to deal decisively with the criminals even if they are restricted in when they can pull the trigger.

It is a fact that but for the determined posture of the Police and the cooperation of the public, the robbers were becoming worryingly daring. At a time, it appeared they were going to overrun the country.

With a quick review of the situation by the IGP, his officers and men, the robbers began to take cover even though they occasionally struck with disturbing effect. Their concealment is short-lived though because with the cooperation of the public, they are soon smoked out. Sometimes we think they are just foolish because no robber/killer has hidden indefinitely especially as someone remarked: 'when the murdered victim is a police officer, the cops will definitely ferret them out.' So why would they not avoid pulling the trigger to kill?

The Bogoso story is laden with important lessons. The swiftness with which the criminals were picked up surprised many. But that is the positive result of police/public cooperation.

We must as citizens, we have said it for the umpteenth time, be security conscious. The case of the Bogoso robber who was gunned down should tell us a lot about our communities. Those who knew Frederick Mensah said he led a flashy lifestyle. That should have triggered questions about who he actually was; the picture he presented to the people in his neighbourhood not exactly the truth.

Regarding Kweku Mintah, the gospel singer, everybody who read this detail when the story broke, was stunned. It sounded incredible that a man of his stature could be associated with a high notched armed robbery like the one involving the snatching of GH¢900,000 and the murder of a cop. Being a gospel singer presupposes the maintenance of a high moral stature. The lesson here is that all that glitters is not gold and residents in neighbourhoods should be curious about things happening around them.

Matters arising from the Bogoso incident and the subsequent gunning down of one of them, Frederick Mensah, aka Nana 1, is interesting. If what has been circulated is true, then we pose the question as to why the police would go with such a criminal to where he claims part of the stolen money was stashed without handcuffing him.

It was an unnecessary risk and besides – what if they had run into an ambush? May our law enforcement continue to triumph over the killer robbers.

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