A former Executive Secretary at the office of the Inspector General of Police is calling on citizens to rise up and demand an end to political vigilantism.
According to Peter Toobu, who is seeking to be MP for Wa West, the numerous strategies outlined to deal with vigilantism will fail if the citizens don’t take action against it.
“When the Delta Force speaks politicians listen. Bolga Bull Dogs, when they speak, politicians listen. When you and I speak, maybe no one will listen because we don’t have that catalyst that can push them out of power.”
“But a time is coming and the time is now, that Ghanaians rise to the occasion and tell the politicians that there is no bullet more powerful than the tongue and we are always ready to vote in line with our own conscience that cannot be bought. This is the only time that this animal called political vigilantism will begin to die, ” he said.
He also referenced the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence which he said betrayed the honesty of the political leadership in the country.
Many stakeholders in government have called for the need to enhance the capacity of criminal justice agencies to deter political vigilantism.
To deal with the problem, the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019 was passed by Parliament.