Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak has directed the Ghana Police Service to step up efforts against vigilantism and stop the formation of unauthorised self-defence groups across the country.
He said a growing trend of individuals, political parties, chiefs and other organisations setting up groups for self-protection posed a serious threat to national peace and security.
Mr Muntaka made the call at the opening of a regional commanders’ conference at the Police Headquarters in Accra, urging officers to stay vigilant and act firmly against any activity that could undermine public order.
“We observe with concern a new trend of chiefs, political parties, individuals, and some organisations building forces for self-protection,” he said, adding that the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999), was clear on the matter.
He stressed that no group had the right to organise protection forces except those authorised by the state, and charged commanders to avert the practice and bring offenders to book.
The minister also ordered an immediate halt to the recording and sharing of videos showing recruits undergoing training at security service institutions, cautioning officers and trainers against allowing such unauthorised content online.
“I am equally concerned about the growing number of officers and trainers in our training schools allowing videos and other content of recruits undergoing training to be recorded and shared on social media. This practice must stop,” he said.
He directed all service commanders to put appropriate controls in place to prevent the unauthorised recording, publication and circulation of images or videos of recruits in training.
