By: Akua Oteng Amponsah
Tension in the Kwahu Traditional Area has eased slightly after the Inspector-General of Police directed the immediate release of the Queen Mother of Kwahu, Nana Adwoa Gyamfua III.
The order followed a controversial dawn operation that sparked alarm across Abene on Monday.
The Ghana Police Service said the IGP has tasked the Police Professional Standards Bureau with investigating the incident, stressing that any officers found at fault will be sanctioned. Additional security personnel have also been deployed “in and around Kwahu to ensure the safety of all persons.”
Confusion erupted earlier after reports circulated that the Queen Mother had been taken from her residence. The Paramount Chief, Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng III, claimed that heavily armed officers arrived around 4:30 a.m. and fired shots “indiscriminately” before removing her from the palace.
But the Kwahu Traditional Council dismissed suggestions of an abduction, calling the reports “entirely false.” According to the Council, the police acted under an interlocutory injunction issued by the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on 24 June 2024, which “restrains Baffour Osei Akoto… together with the Queen Mother and others” from interfering in palace matters.
While defending the legality of the operation, the Council admitted that poor communication contributed to the unrest.
However, IGP’s intervention releasing the Queen Mother and initiating an internal inquiry is widely viewed as a move to calm the situation as the PPSB reviews whether officers followed proper procedure.
Meanwhile, authorities have urged residents to remain calm as investigations continue.
