The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) of Ghana has denied allegations that a member of President John Dramani Mahama's security detail was among suspects arrested in connection with a €225 million cocaine seizure in France. The denial comes after New Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assafuah claimed on Facebook that a suspect identified as Musah Atta was part of the presidential security detail. NACOC's Deputy Director-General, Alexander Twum-Barimah, stated that the Commission had conducted background checks on all suspects in its custody and found no evidence to support the claim.
According to Twum-Barimah, if a presidential bodyguard was indeed among the suspects, that person would need to come forward and explain their job description, as NACOC's records showed no such affiliation. He also questioned the plausibility of a single escort serving both the President and the Vice President simultaneously, citing the standard practice of assigning dedicated officers to each principal. Twum-Barimah added that NACOC would welcome any further information that could aid its investigation, but currently, it had no basis to confirm the MP's claim.
The dispute over Musah Atta's identity is part of a broader investigation into the 'Bolle Jos' network, which has been linked to the €225 million cocaine seizure intercepted by French customs from a container shipped out of Ghana. The network has also been tied to Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers, and NACOC has arrested several suspects connected to the same trafficking chain in recent weeks. This case has sparked a series of politically charged claims and counter-claims, with various stakeholders weighing in on the issue.
The allegation, if true, would have raised serious questions about the security screening of officers assigned to protect Ghana's top leaders and about possible infiltration of trafficking networks into state protection units. NACOC's denial removes this specific concern from the wider scandal, but it does not resolve broader questions raised by some about insider leaks within Ghana's narcotics enforcement system. The issue has sparked concerns about the potential for insider involvement in the trafficking network.
The controversy has also drawn in other high-profile figures, including former Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul, who clarified that NACOC never actually withdrew from Ghana's ports, contrary to earlier suggestions. Additionally, a security expert challenged claims by Minority Chief Whip Muntaka that insider leaks had compromised the probe. There have also been reports that Australia and France had allegedly cut intelligence-sharing ties with Ghana over the leaks.
In response to the allegations, government officials moved to deny that the ruling NDC had any links to the cocaine probe, a denial issued hours after President Mahama held an emergency meeting on the matter. The incident has put the spotlight on Ghana's narcotics enforcement system and raised questions about its effectiveness in preventing and detecting trafficking activities.
NACOC has said it remains open to receiving further details from MP Assafuah or others that could clarify Musah Atta's alleged security role, but no timeline has been given for any further verification or for the conclusion of the wider Bolle Jos network investigation. The Commission's efforts to investigate and clarify the allegations are ongoing, as it seeks to uncover the truth behind the €225 million cocaine seizure and potential links to Ghana.
Key points
- NACOC denies MP's claim that a presidential bodyguard was among suspects in €225 million cocaine seizure in France.
- The denial is part of a broader investigation into the 'Bolle Jos' network, linked to Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers.
- The controversy has sparked concerns about insider leaks and the effectiveness of Ghana's narcotics enforcement system.
