On October 9, 2024, a violent confrontation erupted among personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, and the Ghana Police Service at the Missiga security checkpoint in Bawku, Upper East Region.
The clash was triggered by a misunderstanding over an intercepted shipment of smuggled cocoa bags.
In the wake of the incident, the Ghana Police Service has strongly denied allegations suggesting their involvement in facilitating the smuggling of the cocoa consignment.
The Police clarified that they had intercepted the shipment based on intelligence reports and were escorting the truck to the Bawku Divisional Police Command for further action.
Tensions escalated when Customs insisted on investigating the truck, leading to a heated standoff with the Police. The situation quickly turned violent, resulting in an exchange of gunfire between the two security agencies, prompting military officers to be called in to help de-escalate the crisis.
The Police asserted that “it is untrue that the Police were in any way facilitating the smuggled consignments, as being claimed.” They further emphasized that they had previously intercepted smuggled cocoa beans on two occasions in the region, handing over the consignments to COCOBOD and prosecuting the involved suspects.
To address the fallout from the clash, leadership from the three state security agencies promptly intervened at the national level to resolve the misunderstanding and restore cooperation. Additionally, the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), chaired by the Upper East Regional Minister, is conducting meetings with personnel and their leaders to support ongoing efforts.
