The Ghana Police Service and Ghana Immigration Service have refuted claims of blaming each other over the whereabouts of some 48 alleged terrorists.

A statement jointly issued and signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Director of Public Affairs and Chief Superintendent of Immigration Micheal Amoako-Atta, Head of Public Affairs, said the publication was false and should be disregarded.

“The attention of the Police Service and Immigration Service has been drawn to a publication by the Ghanaian Times Newspaper – on the front page and page 12 – of Thursday, January 5, 2023, which story has also since been carried by other media houses alleging that there is a blame game between the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Immigration Service over the whereabouts of some 48 alleged terrorists.”

It said no supposed terrorists had been arrested by the Police and the Immigration, and there was certainly no blame game going on between the two state security agencies as was being “falsely claimed” by the Ghanaian Times Newspaper.

The statement said some 48 foreign nationals were arrested by the Police and the Immigration in two separate operations at Ekyem, Achiase and Akokoamong near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region in September 2022, for engaging in illegal Network Marketing (QNET).

It said all 48 suspects were profiled in line with standard operating procedures of the two institutions and were repatriated to their various home countries between September 26 and September 29, 2022.

The statement urged the public, especially the media, to be circumspect in their use of the term “terrorists” and avoid using the word loosely and irresponsibly, and thus create unwarranted fear and panic in a peaceful society.

The statement, however, said the two state security institutions would continue to collaborate and partner with each other in the discharge of their respective mandates for the good of Ghana.