Former Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, has strongly condemned the recent heavy-handed approach allegedly used by National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) in attempting to arrest Member of Parliament (MP) Ntim Fodjour at his residence.
Addressing the media at the scene, Nitiwul expressed deep disapproval of what he described as a “Rambo-style” operation involving heavily armed police and soldiers.
“There are standard ways of arresting MPs, not this Rambo style,” Nitiwul said, visibly upset. “I will not allow that people will march into somebody’s house to use ‘Rambostad’ to arrest a person. In those days, I would not allow that. It doesn’t matter who the person is.”
The incident, which saw security forces surrounding Fodjour’s home under the pretext of assisting an investigation, has raised serious questions about due process and the rule of law. Nitiwul emphasized that while MPs are not above the law, they are to be treated with a level of procedural respect — a precedent that has long been observed by both sides of Ghana’s political divide.
“There are conventions. If a Member of Parliament is needed, the police write to the Speaker or go through leadership. Several MPs from our side have honored such invitations. Why is this case different?” he asked. “This is not how we do our business.”
He further noted that the move has cast a negative light on the government and undermined the country’s democratic image. “What we don’t want to see is what is happening. It’s giving a bad name to the government and to the country. We handed over power peacefully. If someone has committed something, let us know. But don’t deploy 20 or 30 armed officers to make an arrest for an investigation.”
According to Nitiwul, MPs Hon. Mustapha and the independent MP from Gomoa (commonly known as A Plus) were recently invited for questioning through proper channels — a contrast to the way the Fodjour case was handled.
As tensions rise, the former Defence Minister called on both the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition to ensure that constitutional conventions are respected, warning against actions that could erode public confidence in state institutions.
“I was Minister for Defence for seven years,” he said. “I held the same power. I could have used it, but I didn’t.”
No official statement has been issued yet by the Ghana Police Service or the Ministry of National Security regarding the specifics of the operation.
