Thursday , March 28 2024

‘Western Togoland’ leaders planned to declare independence on May 9 – Police

The Ghana Police Service has said the eight leaders of the Study Group Foundation arrested for seeking secession from Ghana planned to declare its independence on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

In a statement concerning the arrest of the 8, which included an 80-year-old man, the police service said it has evidence of the plot by the group.

The group, according to the Police, has created a constitution and an anthem for the supposed independence.

The police also claim that the group were training some youth in “militia-style” to form the core of police and military activities in the supposed new country, the Western Togoland after the declaration of independence.

Charles Kormi Kudzodzi

The 80-year-old leader, Charles Kormi Kudzodzi – popularly known as Papa Hogbedetor and seven other leading members of the Volta Separatist movement also known as the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) were arrested on Sunday evening during one of their meetings.

They were reportedly flown from the Volta Regional capital, Ho, by the National Security, to Accra.

The group had claimed that the Volta Region (Western Togoland) was an independent state before being made to join Ghana in a plebiscite.

They thus want the area which runs from the South of the Volta Region northwards into the Northern Region to be declared as an independent state.

Read the police statement below:

Eight persons, believed to be leaders of a group called “Homeland Study Group Foundation” which is aimed at seceding from Ghana to declare an independent country called “Western Togoland” out of Ghana have been arrested.

They were arrested on Sunday 5th May, 2019 in the course of a meeting to finalize arrangements to declare independent Western Togoland on 9th May, 2019. The arrest was made by a team of all the intelligence agencies in Ghana including the Police and the Armed Forces.

Intelligence agencies have gathered sufficient evidence including a constitution, national emblem and anthem prepared by these eight persons and others for their supposed country. Activities of the group also including illegally recruiting and training young people in a “militia style” for them to form the core of the supposed country’s armed forces and police force.

Police administration assures the public that any person who is found culpably of wrongdoing would be dealt with according to law and is therefore urging the public to volunteer information on the group, its leaders and members of the police. Persons with information may report to the nearest Police station or call toll free on 191 or 18555.

Arrest won’t deter us 

Meanwhile, some members of the group have said that the arrest will not deter them from their resolve to have the area declared an independent state.

They’ve been arrested before  

The leadership of the Homeland Study Group foundation were arrested for a similar reason in 2017.

They were charged with treason but were later discharged with a warning.

Source : citinewsroom.com

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