Terrorist attacks in Ghana’s neighbouring countries have necessitated intensive training exercises for the country’s security forces.
A three-day training exercise dubbed “Exercise Flaming Spears” has been carried out at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
The exercise, which began on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, is designed to provide security personnel with the knowledge they need to combat extremist attacks.
Personnel from the Police, Immigration, Prisons, National Ambulance Service, Fire Service, Customs, and the Army participated in the training, which ended on Thursday, October 20, 2022.
Major Evans Adu Danso, the officer in charge of the training exercise, told the media that the initiative was necessary because Ghana is not immune to terrorist attacks and thus the need to adequately prepare for any unforeseen occurrences.
Mr Adu Danso said “the exercise is based on internal security and counter-insurgency operations to take care of violent extremist and terrorist groups which are trying to come in from the Sahel region. The terrorist coming from the Sahara region could be coming from the northern part of the country, and there can be infiltration in the central part too. “
“This exercise is supposed to coil all activities of the violent extremists and terrorist groups who are trying to use our sector into Accra and coastal areas to go into other activities at the shore,” he added.
During the simulation exercise, officers of the Police Service were made to encounter a protesting extremist Islamic group.
The protesting group pelted sachets of water at the team of police officers who tried to disperse the group.
After some minutes, the military was called in to help deal with the situation.
The recent spate of terrorist attacks in Africa is threatening the peace and stability enjoyed by the continent.
During the first quarter of 2022, 346 terrorist attacks were reported to have occurred in various parts of Africa, according to National Security Minister Kan-Dapaah. Of the 346 attacks, 156 took place in West Africa.
He added that in the month of August alone, 76 terrorist attacks occurred, leading to the deaths of close to 200 people and over 20 others sustaining injuries.
Countries most impacted by terrorist attacks are Nigeria, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
Source: The Independent Ghana