Hamile Residents Clash with Immigration Officer Over Alleged Role in Border Kidnapping

Tension erupted at the Hamile border town in the Upper West Region after residents accused an immigration officer, identified only as Morris, of aiding in the kidnapping of a young woman from the Ghanaian side of the border.

According to eyewitness accounts, the incident occurred at night when a group of men crossed over from Burkina Faso into Hamile. The men allegedly contacted the officer, who then led them to the residence of the victim. The men reportedly overpowered the woman, tied her mouth with rags to silence her, and forced her into the boot of a vehicle before driving her across the border into Burkina Faso.

News of the abduction spread quickly, and angry residents stormed the immigration officer’s residence in search of him. Sensing danger, the officer fled to the immigration office for protection. However, the furious mob pursued him there, demanding that he produce the kidnapped woman or face instant mob justice.

The situation escalated as residents began burning car tyres in front of the immigration office, insisting that the officer be handed over to them. In the heat of the protest, a phone shop belonging to the officer was vandalised, while his private vehicle was also set ablaze by the enraged mob.

Some residents accused Morris of long-standing misconduct, alleging that he had been aiding smugglers and harassing law-abiding community members. Others argued that even if the woman had committed an offence, due process should have been followed through Ghanaian security authorities. They strongly suspected that the act was pure kidnapping, as the men who carried out the abduction were not identified as security personnel.

Community members further criticised the recruitment system into Ghana’s security agencies, blaming what they called “protocol recruitment” for allowing unfit individuals into sensitive national roles.

The District Chief Executive (DCE), together with the Sector Commander of the Immigration Service and other officials, intervened to calm the situation. They assured the residents that the matter would be thoroughly investigated and promised that appropriate sanctions would follow after the investigation was concluded.