Ghana Interior Minister orders crackdown on vigilante groups

Ghanaian Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has issued directives to the Ghana Police Service to dismantle vigilante groups and unauthorised security forces. Speaking at a Regional Commanders’ Conference in Accra, the Minister warned that political parties, chiefs, and private organisations establishing their own protection forces pose a threat to national peace and security. He emphasized that under the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act 2019, only state-authorised forces have the mandate to provide protection.

Additionally, the Minister prohibited police personnel from creating content on social media platforms, such as TikTok, while on duty, noting that such actions undermine professionalism. He also ordered an immediate halt to the recording and circulation of videos showing recruits undergoing training at security institutions, citing concerns over the privacy, dignity, and security of the trainees.