Police have informed the assaulted journalists that they are unable to act on the matter, citing that it involves military personnel acting in their official capacity.
This statement was originally published on mfwa.org on 28 February 2025.
Military personnel have beaten two journalists, Alhassan Dokurugu and Tahiru Ibrahim, in Walewale, in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region of Ghana, in a second attack on civilians by security agents in the town in a week.
Dokurugu of Asaase Radio and Ibrahim of Zaa Multimedia, were beaten on February 13, 2025 shortly after covering an arson attack on a passenger bus. Upon their arrival at the scene, they observed military officers violently assaulting civilians, including bystanders and travellers.
According to Dokurugu, who spoke to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on phone, he and Ibrahim were leaving the scene on a motor bicycle when they were stopped and questioned by a group of soldiers. He said the soldiers let them pass after they showed their press cards, adding that they were similarly allowed to pass by another group of soldiers only to be assaulted by a third group at Nalerigu Junction, despite showing their press cards.
“One of them said we enthusiastically report on military operations in the town but fail to report effectively on civilian attacks on each other. Then he started whipping us with wire cables. Another soldier questioned why we did not have cameras if we were indeed journalists, as they beat us,” Dokurugu said.
The journalists had to flee to seek refuge with an approaching police team, leaving their motor bicycle. To the dismay of the journalists, the leader of another group of military personnel who came upon the scene coldly advised them to wear reflective gear in the future to facilitate their identification.
The journalists have since obtained a police medical report and received treatment for their injuries. However, the police have told the victims that they cannot intervene in the matter, as it involves military personnel performing their duties.
The MFWA condemns this vicious attack on journalists who were only doing their work. From all indications, the military officers attacked the journalists for no just reason but as a form of amusement. This is unacceptable and the military authorities must investigate it and punish the perpetrators.
