‘Bentua’ Coup Analysis Trash

That former President John Mahama has also ridiculed the coup plot now in court is telling. He is a former Commander-in-Chief and, therefore, expected to possess vast knowledge of security matters.

On a daily basis, he used to receive security briefing from his security chiefs—a routine procedure. That is why we are surprised at his denial.

As for the so-called security experts or analysts or quack security analysts, as the government described them, they are seeking fame but are ironically gaining notoriety, as their conclusions are geared towards getting newspaper cuttings and funding.

We pointed this out in a previous editorial that matters about security should not be deliberately toyed with or politicized as we sometimes do in this country.

It is inappropriate when a former President in his ridiculing best describes one of the assortments of weapons in the stockpiled collection as an 'enema syringe.'

We would have rather he did not jump into the fray of the rascals who take delight in downplaying rather serious security issues as the Alajo Coup Doctor's.

We should rather be doffing our hats for our security personnel who for the past fifteen months were on the trail of the coup plotters pinning them down with an arrest when the time was due with evidence of various damning qualities.

Had the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) laden with shrapnel, surgical needles, nails and others exploded and the President and other top persons in government sustained injuries or even lost their lives the kind of confusion which would have ensued can only be imagined. That was anyway the objective of the plotters and so they would have rejoiced as their collaborators joined in the ensuing debacle.

We are longing for the court proceedings to begin in earnest so the telltale details would emerge for the Ghanaian public to behold.

Were the former President still be in power what would he do with a security briefing about some people manufacturing IEDs and producing firearms on a large scale? This is against the backdrop of the fact that production of firearms or even possessing them without authorization is outlawed.

No national security managers would sit down unconcerned when there is a massive haul of weapons including for the first time in our history IEDs. We do not want an Afghanistan in Ghana.

When the Alavanyo gun manufacturers start veering into the production of shrapnel, nail and needle laden IEDs we are not safe. We would, of course, be quick to condemn the security agencies as regards what happens.

The selective identification of the items in the stockpile for an attack on the integrity of the security personnel who for fifteen months were on the trail of the coup plotters for ridiculing is sad and unbecoming of persons who once held important positions in this country.

The retired Brig Nunoo-Mensah should give us a breathing space. He too has joined the cacophony. He might not be a quack security analyst but with regard to the matter under review, he is just making noise. Instead of raising the alarm over the production of IEDs, he is rather attacking government for its announcement about the arrest and detailed report.

According to him, no civilian can organize a coup in this country. We are putting it to him that a civilian can facilitate a coup by engaging rogue soldiers and IED producers to destabilize the country. Has he heard about the Colonel?

As an aerial bombardment softens the grounds for the infantry to move in, so does destabilizing a country enable coup plotters to oust a government.

The old Brig should tell us what he knows about IEDs and how to assemble them. We are not talking about SLR or SMG or MG3-led coups of 1966 era. We are dealing with a social media driven era where disgruntled elements can easily be mobilized when a few IEDs are exploded at vantage points with a view to bringing down a government.

Old Brig and those who think like him should bear in mind that we do not have to know platoon battle drills or tactics to appreciate how destabilization can bring a country down.