There appear to be conflicting accounts on the true incident leading to the killing of two young men and injuring about 6 others at Alavanyo-Dzogbedze yesterday.
The Police Account:
In an interview on JoyNews monitored by Awake News, the Volta regional police commander, DCOP Francis Doku said the security officers “were caught up in a crossfire” with some unknown assailants.
Narrating the incident to the AM Show on MultiTV, The Volta regional police commander said the police got wind that some persons were hoarding ammunition in the town of Dzogbadze.
“Knowing the area to be conflict-prone, the local SWAT organized themselves and moved in to search for the arms about 3: 00 pm on Sunday,” the police commander said.
According to the Commander, it appears “the assailants might have gotten wind of the police operation because as the SWAT team entered the town, they were attacked by some youth who successfully wrestled an AK-47 rifle from the outnumbered police” and the police team retreated with fire.
Mr. Doku said the then police informed the military in the area who decided to retrieve the AK-47 rifle.
The military went to the traditional ruler in Alavanyo Dzogbedze to inform him about their intended operation with the hope that he will prevail on his subjects to surrender the arms.
“The chief promised the military that he will personally bring the rifle to the barracks at 10: 00 am on Monday,” DCOP narrated.
But as the soldiers departed from the chief, they were attacked by the assailants who fired shots at them.
As the soldiers shot back at the attackers, two residents suspected to be unrelated to the attacks were caught up in the crossfire and have been reported dead.
Six others are injured and are on admission at the Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital in Kpando.
DCOP Doku said the police are preparing to go for the bodies of the two dead persons.
He added that an emergency Regional Security (RECSEC) meeting will be organized to the town to help in investigations.
Eyewitness’s account as reported by Awake News:
Awake News confirms that a Joint Police-Military Task Force has open fire on some group of people at Alavanyo leaving two dead and 6 injured.
According to an eyewitness who spoke to Awake News at 10:10pm ( January 13, 2019), the Joint Security was in the town in the morning around 11:00am to destroy a wee farm at Dzogbefeme at Alavanyo. The Police during the operation in the morning arrested two young men but on the way, the two arrested young men were able to Jump from the police van and escaped with their handcuffs.
The Joint Police-Military then returned to the town in the evening around 4pm where they went to the Chief, Togbe Petekwatsi of the town to report on how two people in his town escaped with their handcuffs.
Upon receiving the report from the security officers, the chief queried the officer as to why they made the operation in the town without any alerts. He, however, ordered summoned everyone in the town on the missing handcuffs upon which someone showed up at the chief palace to present the missing handcuffs.
According to the eyewitness, whiles, the police-military were leaving the town, some of the youth started “hooting” at the security officers.
“All of a sudden the police started shooting”
“the police killed two young men and injured about 8 eight people who are currently at the Margaret Maquat Catholic Hospital at Kpando”
“The deceased (two) are still lying on the street where they were shot”
Source: AwakeNewsOnline.com | Efo Korsi Senyo