The misconduct of six Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) officers has called for their interdiction.

This comes after the service charged the officers for gross misconduct after a video of them surfaced online, which captured them verbally abusing a superior officer who was travelling in a commercial vehicle and identified himself as a Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DC01).

In an official statement dated November 28 and signed by the Head of Public Affairs Department, Barbara Sam (DSI), the service described the officers' conduct as a “lack of civility and one that was supbar” their standards.The statement read, “The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has interdicted six officers for gross misconduct following the circulation of a viral video on social media in which the officers were seen verbally assaulting a superior officer. The Superior officer, who had identified himself as a Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DCOI), was at the time travelling as a passenger on a commercial vehicle.

The incident occurred on 25th November 2025 at the Offinso Inland Checkpoint, where the officers were on duty. The behaviour captured in the video, marked by verbal assault, lack of civility, and open disrespect toward a superior officer, falls far below the standards expected of personnel of the Service”.

GIS condemned that, given their unflinching upholding of standards of professionalism and respect for civilians, the actions of the officers cannot be overlooked and will be treated with swift and decisive sanctions.

“Such conduct is unacceptable, particularly given the Service's continuous emphasis on professionalism and decorum in the handling of travellers and the execution of official duties. Their actions constitute a clear breach of the Ghana Immigration Service's "Code of Conduct" and cannot be tolerated, the statement added.

The Service apologised for any embarrassment caused to the public and assured citizens of its commitment to upholding high standards of discipline, professionalism, and accountability.

“The Service regrets any inconvenience and embarrassment caused to the general public and wishes to reassure the citizenry of its unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of discipline, professionalism, and accountability in the discharge of its mandate, adding that “Further updates will be provided upon the conclusion of investigations”.

In a somewhat related development, the Ghana Armed Forces arrested an off-duty soldier who was caught on CCTV assaulting a pharmacy attendant and a woman in the pharmacy.

The incident, which occurred at Burma Camp in Accra, came to light on Wednesday. In the widely circulated video footage, the tall, dark-complexioned, angry man was seen slapping the pharmacist and also hitting the female customer with several blows to her head after she attempted to record the incident.

The abuser, whose name has been given as Warrant Officer Class One (WO1) Mensah Williams of the Ghana Air Force, despite attempts by bystanders to intervene, continued the assault.

Consequently, the military police arrested Mensah Williams the morning after the video made waves online garnering the discontent of netizens.

The police announced his arrest in a formal statement after videos of his arrest emerged on social media.

According to reports, the assaulted lady is the daughter of the former Provost Marshal of the Military Police. The Provost is essentially a senior military officer responsible for law enforcement, discipline, and security within the armed forces. He coordinates and oversees all investigations into crimes involving military personnel.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has condemned the act, assuring “the general public that it will not condone any acts of assault on civilians and will not shield any soldier engaged in such.”

In recent years, Ghana has recorded several assaults by security personnel, particularly those affiliated with the military. Earlier this month, residents of Bawku in the Upper East Region recounted terrifying encounters with military personnel, accusing them of using guns, stones, and metal objects to assault civilians during a late-night operation.

On the night of Tuesday, March 18, heavily armed soldiers reportedly stormed homes in Bawku, conducting forced searches and physically assaulting residents. This military action is said to have been triggered by the fatal shooting of a Ghana Armed Forces officer on Monday, March 17. Reports indicate that the officer was ambushed and killed by unidentified gunmen while walking on foot.

In July, the statue of the Bawku Naba, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, was allegedly destroyed by some members of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) during a confrontation with locals in Bawku, Upper East Region.

The statue, which was erected in 2024 in honour of the Zugraan (Overlord) of the Kusaug Traditional Area, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II—a culturally revered figure in Bawku—served as a strong emblem of tradition and communal pride.

The reconstruction of the statue is expected to begin in the coming days following a directive from His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama. Then Minister of Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, in collaboration with other security agencies, was tasked with overseeing the process as well as restoring calm in the area.

This information was made known by the then Minister of Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, at a durbar with all ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) at the Burma Camp on Wednesday, July 17.

“To assure that His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), remains committed to bringing an end to decades-old conflict.

“To address the recent happenings, the National Security Coordinator, myself, the Minister for the Interior, the Chief of the Defence Staff, and the IGP have all been tasked to play coordinated but differentiated roles to ensure that peace and calm are restored immediately, and this includes the restoration of the statue of the Zugraan of the Kusasis Traditional Area,” he added.

The recent altercation in Bawku has reportedly led to the deaths of five locals. On Tuesday, July 15, some Members of Parliament in the Upper East area called for the prosecution of the soldiers involved and compensation for the victims.