The Member of Parliament for Walewale, Dr. Mahama Tiah Abdul-Kabiru, has criticized the government’s decision to impose a curfew on Walewale and nearby communities in the North East Region, describing it as “poorly made and politically motivated.”
Dr. Abdul-Kabiru’s remarks follow the curfew order issued by the Interior Ministry after two recent attacks in the area, believed to be connected to the ongoing Bawku conflict.
In a statement, the MP expressed his dissatisfaction, noting that he was not consulted before the curfew was announced, despite its direct impact on his constituency.
“The Interior Ministry, along with the Ministry of Defence, consulted with MPs from the Bawku area without reaching out to those of us who are equally affected. This decision clearly does not aim to promote peace but rather represents an attempt to use state power to unjustly punish innocent civilians,” he stated.
Dr. Abdul-Kabiru argued that if the government truly believed a curfew was the best security solution, it should have also been extended to other troubled areas such as Binduri, Zebilla, and Garu, where travelers have faced deadly attacks.
“Since December 2021, there have been at least 25 attacks in these areas, three of which occurred in the last month. The selective implementation of this security measure suggests that the lives of travelers to and from Bawku do not matter,” he asserted.
The MP proposed that increasing highway patrols and providing military escorts for travelers would have been a more effective approach than imposing a curfew.
“Half of the police and military personnel designated to enforce this curfew could have been utilized to provide security for travelers and businesses,” he noted.
Additionally, Dr. Abdul-Kabiru accused the military of acting brutally against innocent civilians in the region, claiming their actions have resulted in one death and left several others injured.
