The Minority Leader in Parliament, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to halt the Rambo-style raids by heavily-armed National Security operatives on the homes of former government appointees and heads of state institutions.
Addressing the media in Parliament yesterday on the disturbing phenomenon, the Minority Leader strongly condemned what he described as intimidation and attacks on individuals under the guise of national security operations.
Osahen Afenyo-Markin’s concerns followed a raid on the Roman Ridge private residence of the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Ernest Addison.
The state-sanctioned operation, carried out by approximately 20 armed men and led by Richard Jakpa, Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, took place in the early hours of Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
Credible information gathered indicated that the heavily armed operatives, some wearing Ninja-style masks and wielding AK-47 rifles, stormed Dr Addison’s residence in Accra while he was at home with his family.
It was also gleaned that the National Security team immediately disabled the CCTV system on the property before ransacking the residence, and also demanding to know where the former BoG Governor stored his cash.
Abuse of executive power
Osahen Afenyo-Markin called on President Mahama to take responsibility and curb what he described as an abuse of executive power.
“President John Dramani Mahama, please leave a legacy. Let it be said that even if there were excesses in the exercise of executive power when you had the opportunity, you changed it for good. Own that legacy in your name. We are tired of the intimidation, the attacks, and the hypocrisy,” he stated.
Meanwhile, calls are growing for an independent investigation into the raid and the apparent misconduct of the security personnel.
Stealing National Security Operatives
In raiding the residence of Dr. Addison, Minority Leader Afenyo-Markin disclosed that the national security operatives stole valuables, including undisclosed amount of cash and jewellery, from the household.
The Minority Leader who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu in the Central Region, reiterated this call on President Mahama to immediately take action to rein in the operatives who stole Dr. Addison’s cash and the wife’s jewellery.
“Some GH¢10,000 on his bed could not be found. So some of these hungry party foot soldiers they use who parade themselves as National Security Operatives are after all perhaps not being paid and they use this opportunity to steal.
“The governor’s wife’s earrings and necklaces were also not traced. They couldn’t be found. In other words, those operatives stole these earrings and necklaces. Ghana is a matured democracy and we should do better,” Osahen Afenyo-Markin emphasised.
Widespread security concerns
The raid of Dr. Addison’s private residence has sparked widespread concern over the conduct of security operatives under the new Mahama administration.
Osahen Afenyo-Markin noted that this was not an isolated incident, citing a similar raid on the residence of former Minister for Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta in February 2025.
He urged civil society organisations and human rights advocates to speak against what he noted as a worrying trend of political persecution.
Afenyo-Markin visits Dr. Addison
Following the raid on his residence, the Minority Leader, Osahen Afenyo-Markin, paid a visit to Dr. Addison.
The Effutu MP, THE CUSTODIAN learnt, expressed strong disapproval of the incident and offered words of comfort to Dr. Addison and his family.
He also assured the former governor that he would demand answers from the government regarding the raid.
Demand for vaults
According to reports from Asaase Radio, the operatives immediately disabled the property’s CCTV system before demanding that Dr. Addison show them the “vaults” in his house.
However, the former governor reportedly told them that no such vaults or hidden cash existed.
Despite his response, the security personnel allegedly proceeded to ransack the house.
Sources indicate that no vaults or significant amounts of cash were found.
After an unsuccessful search, the operatives took the CCTV monitor and control unit before leaving the premises.
A close associate of the Addison family revealed that the former governor, his wife, and their entire household have been left deeply shaken by the incident.
This is the second time Richard Jakpa has led a raid on a high-profile former official of the Akufo-Addo administration since President John Mahama took office on January 7, 2025.
Previously, on February 10, 2025, over 15 armed men raided the Labone residence of Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s longest-serving finance minister.
Unlike Dr. Addison’s case, that operation was captured on CCTV, with the footage later released to the public.
