Samuel Addo, a journalist with Class Media, has formally reported an incident to the police in which he was allegedly assaulted and robbed by personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).

The altercation occurred while Samuel Addo was covering a fire outbreak at the Kasoa New Market last week.

In an interview with Accra-based Citi News, Addo detailed a harrowing sequence of events. After initially reporting from the scene for a morning show, he approached the local fire station to seek the GNFS's official account. Upon arrival, he witnessed officers allegedly assaulting civilians.

“I decided to capture the scene,” Addo recounted. “As I was filming, a young fire service personnel approached me. I introduced myself as a media person, and he walked away.”

The situation escalated minutes later. “About 10 of them, including the same officer, came toward me. They held my neck, pulled my hands behind my back, and assaulted me,” he stated. “They took my phone, tore my belt, and took both away.”

While his mobile phone was later returned through the intervention of the Member of Parliament for the area, Phyllis Naa Koryor, Addo discovered a significant financial loss. “Later, I realised my bag was open, and upon checking, I discovered that GHS10,200 was missing from the GHS20,000 I had with me.”

Mr Addo confirmed he has been issued a police medical form and is proceeding to a hospital for treatment. However, the missing cash remains unrecovered. “The money is still missing. I have reported everything to the police,” he added.

The incident has intensified ongoing concerns about the safety of journalists performing their duties in volatile environments and the conduct of state security personnel during public operations. The police investigation is now underway.