Citi FM journalist Umaru Sanda Amadu has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate an incident in which a police patrol vehicle allegedly knocked down a motorbike rider near the Ridge Roundabout in Accra, leaving him unconscious and struggling to stand.

In a Facebook post, the journalist said he witnessed the incident at about 5pm while caught in heavy traffic from Accra Central towards the 37 area. He urged the police administration to use the incident as a training opportunity for officers rather than simply seeking to punish those involved.

According to Amadu, two police vehicles were driving against oncoming traffic on a relatively clear lane when the vehicle in front allegedly collided head-on with an approaching motorbike, throwing the rider face-down onto the asphalt.

Although the rider was wearing a helmet, the impact reportedly left him unconscious, while pieces of shattered glass from the motorbike scattered across the road.

Amadu said the officers aboard the patrol vehicles alighted after the collision, with some holding their guns at the ready, apparently out of concern that the incident could have been a planned attack. A woman in civilian clothing who was seated in the front passenger seat of the second police vehicle, however, remained inside, he recounted.

The journalist said the officers gathered around the injured rider and watched him for what seemed like an extended period as other motorcyclists converged on the scene.

He further alleged that the officers eventually moved the rider and his damaged motorbike onto the grass in the middle of the road. By then, the man had regained consciousness but appeared confused and dizzy.

According to Amadu, one of the officers bent down to speak to the rider, but the man appeared unable to respond coherently. Attempts to help him stand also failed, as he reportedly groaned, fell back to the ground and continued to turn about in distress.

The journalist said he had witnessed other road accidents in which members of the public quickly transported injured victims to hospitals in taxis or other available vehicles. He was therefore concerned that the officers did not appear to take similar immediate action.

“I would have thought they'd carry him to the Ridge hospital which was less than a minute away. They didn't. They just waited,” Amadu wrote.

He acknowledged that he could not establish whether the officers were waiting for an ambulance or what eventually happened to the rider. However, he said the apparent delay left him worried about the man's condition.

Amadu added that the officers appeared frustrated as the incident disrupted their movement, although he could not establish what mission they were undertaking or what was going through their minds.

After more than five minutes, traffic on his side of the road began moving, forcing him to leave the scene before he could determine whether the injured man received medical attention.

The journalist's account has raised questions about the response to the collision, particularly the steps taken to secure prompt medical assistance for an injured road user.

He stressed that his intention was not to demand punishment for the officers but to bring the incident to the attention of the police leadership for possible investigation and professional training.

“Please check on him sir. I have been thinking about it since yesterday,” he appealed to the IGP.

Umaru's account does not establish the full circumstances of the collision, whether emergency medical services were contacted or whether the rider was eventually taken to hospital.

Umaru Sanda Amadu’s full Facebook post



EA