Landguards working for Ishmealia Abubakar, popularly known as Boga, have destroyed building structures at Papase Number One Kwobondzi in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region.
The situation has created tension and insecurity in the area, with property owners accusing the police at Kasoa Divisional Police Command of inaction.
The property owners claim that the land was legally purchased from the allodial landowners, but Ishmealia Abubakar is contesting ownership.
According to them, the landguards have been harassing workers, seizing tools, and issuing death threats.
The property owners stated that the activities of the landguards have seen a significant increase, with landowners being harassed and subjected to threats of gun shootings.
The property owners cited the current incident when Ishmealia Abubakar and landguards pulled guns on the masons working on the building project at Papase Number One Kwobondzi.
They pointed out that the said land in question was legally, genuinely, and lawfully bought by a businessman (name withheld) from the allodial landowners, but Mr. Ishmealia Abubakar is also claiming ownership to the same land.
According to the property owners, Ishmealia Abubakar and landguards frequently visited the project site, seized tools from workers employed by the landowner to construct houses, using intimidation and threats of violence to drive the workers away.
Although the actions of Ishmealia Abubakar and his violent thugs were officially reported to the Kasoa Divisional Police Command by the landowner, it emerged that Mr. Abubakar has continued to issue death threats on the masons employed by land owner and warned them to stay away from the land.
A mason recounted how a couple of weeks ago, around 3:30 PM, a Muslim woman named Amelia came to the site and sent two people to take photographs of the ongoing building project.
When the mason confronted them, Amelia informed him that she ordered the two to take the photographs because the land belongs to them and there is a court injunction on it.
Another mason accounted how Boga and landguards pulled guns on him at the site, threatening to shoot him when he brought building sand to the site a couple of days ago.
According to him, the marauding landguards threatened to shoot and kill him if he did not stay away from the land.
He said he has reported the death threat on his life to the Kasoa Divisional Police Command.
The mason also stated that later, they went to the land to work when the said Boga came to pull a gun on them again, and fortunately, he was arrested by the police.
According to the mason, when the police searched the room of Boga, they retrieved two pump-action guns and a pistol, and he was sent to the police station.
Sadly, he stated that the police haven’t charged Boga for his misconduct.
The property owners have appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Interior Minister, traditional authorities, and other key stakeholders to help curb the continuous activities of landguards in the area.
They lamented that the rampant activities of the marauding landguards were undermining peace and security in the serene community.
The property owners also asked the traditional leaders or authorities to bury their differences to ensure the social and infrastructure development in the enclave.
The visibly worried mason reaffirmed that the wife of Ishmealia Abubakar has frequently harassed them on the land, taking series of photographs and videos of them and threatening to give the photos to some violent thugs to deal with them anywhere they meet.
