A security analyst, Dr Franklin Biney, says it is a misnomer to refer to NPP-affiliated Delta Force, and other such groups, as a ‘vigilante group’.
He wants the media and other institutions to stop assigning such groups with the term ‘vigilante’ since their actions contradict the meaning of the title.
“The ‘vigilante group’ that we know of in terms of its explanation or definition is not what we are seeing today. Because when we talk of vigilante we know that they are a volunteering group,” he said.
He spoke on Joy News’ current affairs programme, PM Express, aired on Multi TV, Thursday.
His comments follow Thursday’s attack on the Circuit Court in Kumasi by members of the Delta Force, a group that has gained notoriety for violent attacks on state institutions.
Some 50 members of the group, most of whom are heavily-built weight lifters, set free 13 of their colleagues who were arrested two weeks ago for a state institution.
The 13 accused persons were standing trial at the Kumasi Circuit Court.
The Judge had announced that the suspects were going to be remanded for two weeks pending further investigation, a move that did not go down well with the members of the vigilante group who were on the court premises.
In anger, they charged at the judge and demanded the immediate release of the suspects, Joy News’ Ashanti Region correspondent, Nurudeen Mohammed reported.
The 13 suspects freed are Kwadwo Fosu, Awal Sadat, Abubakar siddique, Jamel Issah, Hamza Mohammed, Salou Issahak, Akwasi Wusu. Others are Kwabena Wusu, Kofi Kyei, Agya Baodu, Yussif Salou, Yussif Salou, Kwaku Awutwi.
The Interior Minister Ambrose Dery condemned in no uncertain terms the attack and warned the escapees that they will be hunted down.
Speaking on the matter on PM Express, Dr Biney suggests that treating the Delta Force members like a progress-seeking group would water down the appropriate state action that is needed to wipe them out.
He said the term ‘vigilante group’ usually refers to a group made up of elders of a community whose main drive is to complement the efforts of state authorities to quell crime.
He adds that in most instances, a proper ‘vigilante group’ informs the police and other relevant authorities about their activities.
The police also give a vigilante group an orientation on fighting crime, for instance, before members begin to their work, Dr Biney said.
These features are, however, absent in the operation of groups such as the Delta Force, Invincible Force, the Bolga Bulldogs and other such illegal groups who only wreak havoc to state institutions.
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