Armed forces are state assets, not targets for angry youth – Elikem Kotoko after Hwidiem NAIMOS attack

The spokesperson for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Elikem Kotoko, has cautioned the public against attacking members of the armed forces or state security personnel, describing them as “state assets, not targets for angry youth.”

Deputy Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, November 4, condemned the violent attack on a joint NAIMOS task force team in the Ahafo Region, warning that such actions put lives at risk and threaten national stability.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday, November 1, at Bronikrom near Hwidiem, reportedly involved over 600 residents who clashed with security officers deployed to enforce anti-illegal mining operations.

The confrontation led to the vandalism of vehicles, including that of the local Chief Imam.

Mr Kotoko said the situation could have turned deadly had the military responded with force.

“Even in the short video I saw, I asked three questions,” he said. “What if the police had not been able to exert some level of control? What if the Chief Imam of the area, whose vehicle was even vandalised, had not provided a cover for them? And what if the military or the NAIMOS Task Force thought of what happened to Major Mahama in 2016 and decided to say, This level of aggression now requires maximum protection, because they were armed.”

He praised the professionalism of the soldiers who exercised restraint despite being provoked. “We must really commend them,” he said.

“Security operatives and analysts say all the time the military is trained to kill, they don’t shoot to maim, they shoot to kill.

“So for you to imagine a military officer who is fully armed and attacked by 600 plus young civilians, yet they kept their calm when they are holding weapons, which, when fired, one bullet can run through maybe four or five people.”

Elikem Kotoko cautioned traditional authorities and community leaders to educate young people against confronting armed state personnel.

“I want this to serve rather as a warning to our traditional authorities and especially to our youth,” he said.

“We need to educate our youth to stop this childish bravado of thinking that when we are in the number of 50 or 70, we can outnumber five soldiers or this or that.”

He described such actions as reckless and dangerous, reminding Ghanaians that members of the armed forces are trained professionals acting on behalf of the state.

“They are armed, they are trained, and let’s not forget that they are state weapons,” he stressed.

“Every military person you see is an asset with a state weapon. So when he comes under such kind of intense pressure, and as a human, he would also want to protect himself, and self-preservation is always key, and I must commend them.”

His comments came after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, condemned the alleged involvement of two Members of Parliament – Ebenezer Kwaku Addo of Asutifi North and Collins Dauda of Asutifi South – in the Hwidiem incident.

The Speaker warned that Parliament would not shield any MP found guilty of misconduct.

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