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General News of Tuesday, 9 April 2019

Source: theheraldghana.com

National Security Head of Operation fights EOCO boss over state bungalow

Head of Operations at the National Security, Colonel Michael K. Opoku Head of Operations at the National Security, Colonel Michael K. Opoku

Head of Operations at the National Security, Colonel Michael K. Opoku, is battling the newly appointed Executive Director of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Frank Adu Poku, over a state building located at Osu RE in the national capital.

The building said to be the property of the anti-graft agency, which is the official bungalow for the head of EOCO, is being forcefully taken over by Col. Opoku, who is claiming he wants to use it as an office space.

But according to The Herald sources within the setup, Col Opoku, is targeting the said bungalow for his official duties.

Some have said, he intends to house the militia belonging to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP); the Invisible Forces, some of whom took part in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election gun violence at the La Bawalashie in Accra.

The armed political thugs, are to be secretlydeployed under the cloak of National Security Operatives for operations as and when the need arises.

For some time now, this paper gathered, the Head of Operations at the National Security, has been frequenting the said building, assessing it appropriateness and suitability for his operations.

For about two weeks, National Security sources say he has been threatening fire and brimstone, if the few operatives there refuse to hand over the keys to him. He has mounted severe pressure on the ex-Police Commissioner, Frank Adu Poku, to hand over the house.

But not wanting any infighting or a case of dog bite dog spectacle, the EOCO boss, has reluctantly agreed to eject his men there to pave the way for the new occupants to take charge of the building.

In this regard, he has already asked his staff to vacate the place and hand over the keys to Col Opoku to prevent any fracas.

The EOCO boss, who was appointed weeks ago, according to sources, gave an ultimatum to the staff to leave as at last week and it is hope that by this week, they would have vacated the office.

Meanwhile, The Herald, has gathered that the said building, has been the property of EOCO from the time it was called Serious Fraud Office (SFO), till it present state and successive bosses of the Office, have used it during their tenure and held meetings there.

The Herald’s information was that, Mr Sapati and the late Justice Tsar, used the bungalow as their official bungalow.

The strange part of the whole forced eviction which has raised several eyebrows is that, the National Security set up, has many offices and buildings spread in the national capital, and that Col. Opoku and his boys, could have occupied.

The Herald was informed Col Opoku’s decision to move some of his duties to the EOCO bungalow is because, he feels uncomfortable at his present place at Castle Annex, also known as Blue Gate.

Sources say, he has been unhappy with how information which are not for public consumption, are leaked into the public domain. He has become very paranoid and erratic, not knowing what may come out the next time.

Recently, Col Opoku in his frustration was seen publicly throwing tantrums about certain information that were leaked, warning he was going to conduct his own investigation and that in the event that he gets hold of the one behind the leakage, he will deal with the person ruthlessly.

According to the former head of Physical Education in the Ghana Armed Forces, someone had been recorded and that the recording is going to be made available to him, after listening to it, he will unfeelingly deal with the person captured on the secret recoding.

He is since relocating to prevent information from coming out.