Ghana has downplayed the role of Canadian security experts in rescuing two of its nationals kidnaped in Kumasi last week.
While admitting a team from Canada were in Ghana to see how they could help local security operatives to rescue the victims, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah argued that move was unnecessary as it did little to the success of the Wednesday rescue operation.
Some Canadian security experts reportedly arrived in the Ashanti Regional capital on Tuesday to augment local security authorities in locating and rescuing their two nationals kidnapped on June 4 at Ahodwo.
“…this Canadian team was in town to explore ways by which they could help in rescuing these young ladies but that was not necessary,” he said on Wednesday, June 12 in Accra at a post rescue mission news conference.
For the Minister, Ghana’s security apparatus on the ground were in full control of the situation and knew what to do at what time.
He stated the local security apparatus “had clarity on what to do… and the result is what you see [the rescue of the two Canadians]”.
The two victims, Bailey Jordan Chitty, 20, and her colleague Lauren Patricia Catherine Tilley, 19, have since their rescue on Wednesday, June 12, been flown from the Ashanti regional capital to Accra.
Eight arrested suspects, three Nigerians and five Ghanaians, have also been flown to Accra to assist in investigations into the kidnap case that grabbed headlines globally.
The suspects are currently under interrogation at the Police CID headquarters in Accra, the Information Minister said.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah said the interrogation will determine whether there will be more arrest, saying “it is the interrogation that will determine who the masterminds are”.
The kidnapping of the two Canadian nationals on June 4 at Ahodwo in Kumasi caused three high commissions in Ghana to issue advisory notes to its citizens in Ghana to be extra cautions as “violent crimes” were said to be on the rise in the country.
Government contested the claims and insisted Ghana was safe and the security apparatus were in full control of the security situation.
By Stephen Kwabena Effah|3news.com|Ghana