Tensions flared on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, when four state security agencies—Military, Police, Immigration, and Customs—were embroiled in a heated standoff over the interception of a truck loaded with 20 bags of suspected smuggled cocoa beans in Bawku, Upper East Region.
The standoff, which escalated into a power struggle, saw warning shots fired, creating a chaotic scene before calm was eventually restored.
The incident began when police officers, acting on intelligence, chased down a cargo truck with the registration number AS 5551-21, traveling from Kumasi to neighboring Togo.
The truck, suspected of carrying smuggled cocoa beans, was intercepted by the police in the Mandago community near the Gbewaa College of Education.
Eyewitnesses reported that police officers insisted on taking the truck to their main station in Bawku for further investigations.
However, the situation took a dramatic turn when officers from other state security agencies, notably the Military, Immigration, and Customs, arrived at the scene.
Each agency argued over jurisdiction, claiming responsibility for handling the investigation. Immigration and military officers stationed at the nearby Pulmankom border demanded that the truck be sent to their checkpoint, while Customs officials argued that the truck should be taken to their office for inspection.
Eyewitnesses described a tense standoff, with tempers flaring among the officers from the different agencies. The situation nearly escalated into violence, as warning shots were fired by both sides.
The argument, according to those present, centered on whose authority superseded the others in handling the suspected smuggling case.
The chaotic scene finally subsided when military personnel, who had initially been involved in the standoff, stepped in to defuse the tension.
After the intervention, the truck was eventually handed over to the Customs officers to continue their investigation into the alleged smuggling activities.
No injuries were reported following the incident, and the security agencies involved have yet to issue an official statement regarding the dispute.
However, the incident has raised concerns about the coordination and collaboration between security agencies in the Bawku area, especially amidst the ongoing power struggle between them.
There was heavy gunfire this afternoon [ October 9,2024] at the Missiga Immigration Service checkpoint in Bawku after a disagreement ensued between personnel of the Ghana Police Service and Customs.
According to reliable security sources, tempers flared up after some police… pic.twitter.com/EaWlhfiQLA
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) October 9, 2024
