Illegal land grabbing: Nigerian, Togolese Arrested At Chrematinville

… Soldiers stand accused

Police officers from the Headquarters of the Ghana Police Service have arrested and detained two notorious land-guards, a Nigerian and a Togolese, for allegedly beating, attacking and terrorizing workers of persons who lawfully and legally bought parcels of land from Woodfields Development Company Limited at Chrematinville located in Borteyman, a suburb of Accra.

The unpleasant incident occurred on Wednesday morning, September 25, 2024, when the two notorious land-guards hired from Togo and Nigeria stormed the Chrematinville in an attempt to prevent workers from continuing the building projects of the clients of the company.

During the confrontation, police officers were called to the scene and managed to subdue the two suspects, preventing further violence and potential harm to the workers working on
the land said in question.

The arrest of the two suspected land-guards brings hope to the workers in the area, who have long been plagued by land grabbing incidents.

When they were arrested at the site, they were sent to the Property Fraud Unit at the Ghana Police Service Headquarters in Accra for their caution statements to be taken.

Later, the two were detained in the police custody, awaiting for the criminal charges to be preferred against them. The two notorious land-guards would be processed before the law court.

Following their arrest, drama unfolded when the Nigerian suspect was heard crying in a recording audio begging for him to be released from the police custody under condition of being a poor person who has been secretly lured by some big men to commit attack on the workers.

Investigations revealed that the military officers of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in their uniforms were allegedly aiding the land-guards in their attempt to forcefully take possession of the land in question.

Further investigation has uncovered that the soldiers and landguards involved in the dispute were allegedly hired by Raimmy, whose photo has been included as evidence.

Raimmy is reportedly acting on behalf of Sammy, owner of Jila4Real Estate, who claims ownership of the contested land parcels.

Raimmy was accused of sending soldiers and landguards to the land, allegedly to intimidate and assault workers. The armed personnel reportedly to have lined up the workers in an effort to forcibly stop them from working on the land.

Speaking in an interview with some journalists in Accra, the Security Coordinator of Woodfields Development Company Limited, Mr Tenkorang Kingsley confirmed the incident.

He expressed worry about the misconduct of the owner of Jila4Real Estate, one Sammy to hire the services of both military officers and land-guards to beat, attack, terrorise and molest the workers.

He noted that “Since last week Thursday September 19, 2024 the owner of Jila4Real Estate has brought some soldiers who were led by these two notorious land guards from Togo and Nigeria to the land the company has sold to its clients.

According to him, armed soldiers and these land-guards patrolled the land and started beating, molesting and harassing the workers of the clients of Woodfields Development Company Limited.

“So fortunately, we have officially reported the incident to the Ghana Police Service at the Headquarters who came to arrest the two land-guards on Wednesday September 25,2024. These two thugs have been leading the soldiers to visit the severe attacks on the workers. They were arrested by police before the soldiers who are providing security for them came to the site,” Mr Kingsley reaffirmed to the journalists.

He lamented that they could not fathom these soldiers of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), the reputable state military organisation of Ghana would be assigned to go to the legally, genuinely and lawfully bought land to beat and visit attacks on the workers.

He called on the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces to launch investigation into the matter.

“How dare someone will hired the military officers in uniforms would be providing security for the notorious landguards to visit attacks of the workers working on the land the clients have bought from Woodfields Development Company Limited,” he asked.

According to him, the company seems to
believe that using the soldiers to lawfully to protect security of the land for individual who has been already restricted or restrained by the Apeal Court not to enter into that land in question was completely breach of the laws.

He further called on the National security Minister, Interior Minister Minister, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other state security regulatory agencies to call the soldiers, landguards and owner of Jila4Real Estate to order for the peace prevail in the area.