Violence has erupted in the border town of Hamile, located in the Lambusie District of the Upper West Region, following allegations that a Ghana Immigration Service officer conspired with Burkinabe security personnel to kidnap the wife of a wanted Burkinabe national.
The alleged plot has triggered widespread outrage, leading to the destruction of property and a significant security presence in the area.
Speaking to Citi News, Mohammed Fatawu, the Assembly Member for Hamile West, claimed that the immigration officer had collaborated with Burkinabe operatives to track and abduct the woman in an attempt to locate her husband—who is reportedly wanted in Burkina Faso but currently residing in Côte d’Ivoire.
“One of the immigration officers conspired with security from Burkina Faso to kidnap the wife of a Burkinabe man who is currently in Côte d’Ivoire. When they couldn’t find him, they turned to his wife, who was passing through the village,” Fatawu alleged.
According to Fatawu, the woman was abducted while traveling from Côte d’Ivoire through Nandom, fueling fears among residents that she would be harmed.
“People believed she was being taken to be killed. In retaliation, they threatened to harm the immigration officer and burn down the offices,” he added.
In the ensuing unrest, protesters reportedly set fire to the officer’s pickup truck, vandalized a phone shop, and torched a motorcycle belonging to one of the Burkinabe operatives. Tragically, a woman identified as Mahamata is said to have collapsed and died from a suspected hypertension attack during the chaos.
Police and military personnel have since been deployed to restore order, though tensions remain high in the community.
At the time of filing this report, the Upper West Regional Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Immigration Service, Ibn Yussif Duranah Abdul Mumin, stated that security officials were in an emergency meeting and would provide an official update shortly.
