It appears civilians are not the only people who have been at the mercy of National Security Operatives as some security officers have had their share of brutalities meted out by these men of whom most are believed to be ‘party boys.’

Member of Parliament of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, has recounted a chilling incident of assault meted out against a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer who was later identified as WO1 Mashud Salia.

“Under this government, we have seen National Security boys, party apparatchik, pull a warrant officer out of his vehicle, handcuff him, and assault him, at Michelle camp.

He made the remarks during an interview on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV where he stated that this is a threat to the country’s security.

Background

In November 2020, WO1 Mashud Salia was allegedly physically assaulted and handcuffed whilst in uniform over his inability to give way to a convoy of four vehicles.

The event, according to The Chronicle newspaper, happened on the Tema-Akosombo highway at the Ashaiman Tulaku section.

The shocking incident which occurred on Wednesday, November 25 is said to have attracted a large crowd of commuters and motorists alike, who watched in disbelief as the soldier who is said to be a Physical Training Instructor (PTI) at the nearby First Battalion of Infantry was receiving slaps from the alleged National Security Operatives.

Narrating what occasioned the unfortunate incident, the Chronicle wrote “on Wednesday, November 25 at about 08:30hrs, when traffic was heavy on the stretch, the soldier, Warrant Officer Class One ( W O 1) Mashud Salia, was driving his saloon car towards Michel Camp.

Upon negotiating the Ashaiman roundabout, a siren-blowing convoy of four high speeding vehicles approached from his rear, forcing their way through the middle of the tight traffic.”

The Chronicle further explained that according to eyewitnesses, “the WO attempted parking off the road to give way to the convoy, but the road was so narrow that his very life and that of other motorists was at stake, so he continued in the lane. Suddenly, the lead vehicle blocked that of the soldier, and armed men alighted from the other vehicles and started to slap him behind the steering wheel and afterwards pulled him out.”

The armed men who allegedly assaulted the soldier were described as wearing brown khakis and armed. They later handcuffed the soldier and shoved him into one of their vehicles and drove to Michel Camp and handed him over to the authorities there.