Why We Must Root Out Corrupt Security Agency Pesonnel From Our System Quickly

When Nigeria’s billionaire Kidnapper-In-Chief, Chikwudubem Onwuamadike, was arrested by the Nigerian authorities last year, it emerged that his wife and children were actually living in Ghana. He apparently had two luxury homes here, and lived under the assumed name, Mr. Asare. Compared to Ghana, Nigeria has a long history of kidnapping. Indeed, it has made the boldest and most hardened criminals involved in it very wealthy individuals.

In light of that, perhaps the question we must pose is: Are minnows from Nigeria’s kidnapping-for-ransom-industry using the kidnapping of young women from ordinary backgrounds in Ghana, as a dry run, to test our system's response to kidnapping - so they can target high-value victims, here, such as expatriate oil company employees: safe in the knowledge that they can devise strategies to outwit Ghana's security agencies?

It is instructive that before the latest allegations of criminal conduct against him were made public, Samuel Udoetuk Wills, the Nigerian man said to be responsible for the Takoradi kidnappings, was apparently on the run after escaping from the cells of a police station where he was being held on a different charge. And from his reported pronouncements, he was was a foreigner who was clearly contemptuous of the police in Ghana. Why so, one wonders?

Clearly, if the personnel of our security agencies are to be able to successfully combat serous crimes such as kidnapping, and contract killings, they must henceforth be more professional in their approach to work. Taking bribes compromises every police officer who does so. Ditto a police officer who demands money from suspects.

We can neither assure the security of our homeland Ghana, nor ensure the safety of every resident of this beautiful and relatively peaceful country of ours, if personnel of the security agencies are corruptible. In the wake of the recent kidnappings, and high profile killings, our system must no longer tolerate corrupt security agency personnel. They are a danger to us all - and must be rooted out of our system quickly. Haaba.