Interior Ministry links election deaths to firearm use by party supporters, police, and military

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has revealed that most incidents of violence recorded during Ghana’s 2020 and 2024 general elections involved the use of firearms by supporters of the two major political parties and, in some cases, by security personnel deployed to maintain order.

Presenting the report on election-related violence at a press conference, Mr. Mubarak said investigations found that nearly all the cases reviewed stemmed from confrontations between political party supporters or from the use of live ammunition by security forces attempting to disperse crowds.

“The circumstances of each case vary, but nearly all involve the use of firearms during confrontations between supporters of the two major political parties and instances where security personnel resorted to the use of live ammunition or warning shots as a means of crowd control,” he said.

According to the Interior Minister, one of the major investigations conducted after the 2020 elections — specifically at Odododiodio in the Greater Accra Region — has been completed, and the Attorney General is currently prosecuting three individuals before the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra.

Mr Mubarak further disclosed that investigations established that three of the incidents, which resulted in four deaths, were caused by armed police patrol teams, while military personnel were responsible for three other cases, leading to the deaths of three persons during interventions to restore calm to chaotic crowds.

He emphasised that the government remains committed to ensuring accountability for all election-related deaths and to strengthening coordination between security agencies during electoral operations.

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