Western Togoland attack most successful by secessionist group in West Africa - Kwesi Aning

The coordinated attacks by the Western Togoland separatist group on two police stations and communities in the Volta Region is the single most successful attack by a secessionist group in West Africa, Professor Kwesi Aning, a security expert has disclosed.

According to him, the flawless nature of the attack, the geographical area the attack covered and the duration of the attack makes it the most outstanding in the sub-region.

While the attack signifies a growth in strength and confidence of the separatists, Dr. Aning says it highlights the lax and failure of Ghana’s intelligence and security agencies.

Dr. Aning is concerned that despite government and the security agencies being in the unknown about the sinister plans and actions of the group over the years, they have failed to nip it in the bud.

“It has raised very disturbing questions and these are questions that should not be swept under the carpet. This is the most successful first attack by a secessionist group against a sovereign state in West Africa and in the Sahara. It is the most successful because we need to look at the geographical expanse of the attack. These are not small towns so where were the police, BNI and national security”.

“The second is the coordinated nature of those attacks. They all took place in a specific time frame and the failure of the state to see that trucks were brought in to dump sands at the roads to block them. People sang patriotic songs, set fire and danced. All without a response from the state”.

“The final symbolism around the success relates to the police stations. Two police stations representing the state overrun and totally defeated. The ten AK47 which were stolen is very symbolic. We don’t know if they took only ten”, he said on Newsfile.

Professor described the response of the country to the insurgency as incoherent and warned against a knee-jerk reaction to the attacks.

“The state’s response to what happened yesterday was very incoherent. If we are serious we need to get the details on the guns which were taken. The significance of what has taken place and the way it will be interpreted by those across the board. Meanwhile the thirty suspected members of the group who were apprehended by a joint military and police force have been airlifted to Accra.

They are expected to be charged with treason and sedition.

The Sogokope Divisional Police Commander who was abducted has been freed while rescuing operations are ongoing for the two.

The government has assured the country, specifically people in the affected region to be calm as their security and safety is guaranteed.