CID Boss COP Yaako Donkor, Madina Police Under Fire--As Landowners Slam Them For  Ignoring Evidence-Backed Petitions Over New Ogbojo Evictions

The Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP), Madam Lydia Yaako Donkor and the Madina Division of the Ghana Police Service, are facing severe criticism from landowners and residents of New Ogbojo, near Madina in Accra, for allegedly ignoring multiple evidence-backed petitions regarding an ongoing lawlessness, terrorism, harassment, intimidation and illegal eviction of residents, sometimes at gun points within the area without law and order which is affecting numerous households.

The chairman of the New Ogbojo Landlords Association, Mr. Christopher Foe, on behalf of the Association has questioned why Madam Donkor and Madina Police Station has failed to act on petitions regarding the continuous attacks, harassment, and terrorization of residents by armed land guards attempting to forcibly evict them.

According to the visibly worried chairman, the senior police officer's persistent failure to intervene—despite numerous urgent requests for assistance—suggests that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) administration may be colluding with Evans Teye Estate Chairman, Mr. Johnson Lomotey Teye, and Lovina Teye to unlawfully evict landowners from the New Ogbojo community.

He stated that the CID Boss, Madam Donkor and the police officers at the Madina Police Station were surely aware that the actions taken by Mr. Johnson Lomotey Teye and Lovina Teye to unlawfully evict landowners from the New Ogbojo community were not backed by any law in Ghana, yet senior police officers of the Ghana Police Service were supporting the illegal claimants of the lands we have lived on for the past 20 to 30 years."

Mr Foe expressed deep disappointment in the Director-General of the CID for failing to act on multiple petitions served to her office, noting that substantial evidence of these petitions exists.

He added that over several months, their lawyer has formally written numerous letters to the Director-General of the CID requesting police protection for the people of New Ogbojo."Why is the CID leadership still failing to act on our petitions? "Why haven't the perpetrators been brought before a court of law? he quizzed.

To substantiate his claim, Mr. Foe provided copies of the letters the landlords and residents had served on the Director-General of the CID and the Madina Police Station since marauding landguards began their illegal activities in the New Ogbojo community.

Speaking in an interview with Africa TODAY NEWS newspaper, in a fellow up after the press conference of the residents and landowners of New Ogbojo, Mr Foe called on journalists to muster the courage to interrogate the allegations of the perpetrators that the Ghana Police Officers are toothless dogs who cannot effect any arrest on them, let alone arraigning them before any court of competent jurisdiction.

"In fact, these landguards will make us to believe that their bosses derives authority from among one of the National Security Coordinators of the State. We will remain graceful if your sources can interrogate and confirm this alleged invisible hands operating from the National Security are answerable to the inaction within the Ghana Police Service and guide officers toward protecting lives and property in the Ogbojo community," Mr Foe stated.

According to the chairman, residents and landowners in New Ogbojo cannot understand why officers at the Madina Police Station and the Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are supporting Johnson Lomotey Teye and Lovina Teye.

He alleged that the Teyes hired armed, marijuana-smoking land guards to terrorize, attack, harass, and destroy properties on land that residents legally purchased from the original allodial owners, who are relatives of the Teyes.

He stressed that the current claimant to the New Ogbojo land is not originally Ghanaian, noting that the legal argument used in his favor is the law of adverse possession—the claim that because he has occupied the disputed land for a long time, the original allodial landowners should not disturb him.

The chairman asserted that if the claimant of the disputed land claims to have a court judgment, the proper legal procedure requires him to return to court to secure a writ of possession.

He explained that the claimant must then present this writ to the Ghana Police Service, accompanied by officers, to formally serve it to the residents affected by the judgment concerning the New Ogbojo township lands.

"That is the only legal means," the chairman stated, adding that any other method of taking land from landowners—such as utilizing land guards and violent thugs to evict residents—is completely illegal.

"Did the original landowners use violence to claim the land from him? The answer is a definitive no," he said.

He questioned why the claimant insists on using violent methods, such as deploying marijuana-smoking land guards to attack and terrorize residents, assault landowners, and destroy household belongings.

The chairman emphasized the urgent need for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Minister of the Interior, and President Mahama to hold the implicated police officers accountable.

The residents indicated that it is a real fact that the claimant of the New Ogbojo land, Mr Johnson Lomotey Teye lacks any court judgments granting them legal possession; consequently, local landlords, residents, and landowners have dared them to provide valid legal proof of their ownership.

He does not have any court documents or judgment giving them the right of possession of the land because the landowners were not party to the suit. Even if he did, the landowners have stayed for more than 20–30 years, which has ripened into ownership that is recognizable and protected by law."

The landlords and homeowners provided valid legal rights and land indentures to support their claim that they legally acquired their properties from the Chief of the New Ogbojo Community.

They claimed that the planned eviction attempts have included the disconnection of electricity and water supplies, the removal of residents' personal belongings and the demolition of apartments.

For families who have spent decades building their lives in the community, the residents lamented that the situation has gone beyond a land dispute and has become a source of fear and uncertainty.

Children affected

The association disclosed that children in the community have also been caught up in the dispute.

According to the residents, some schoolchildren have stopped attending classes because of threats allegedly issued by land guards.

They further alleged that school materials belonging to some children were taken from their parents' homes during attempts to force families out of the area.

The residents lamented that the situation is particularly distressing for elderly people, children and families who have nowhere else to go.

“A home provides security, dignity, privacy and stability,” the association said, arguing that residents of New Ogbojo St. Peter’s are increasingly being deprived of those basic protections.

Residents accuse security agencies of inaction

The residents indicated that they have formally reported the incidents to the Madina Police Station and subsequently escalated the complaints to units at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters.

These, according to them, include the Property Fraud Unit, the Emergency Command Centre and the Anti-Armed Robbery Department.

The residents stated that despite their complaints, the harassment, attacks, and terrorization have continued.

They noted filed complaints at these police stations, but no action has been taken by the state security operatives, adding that it is surprising that the employers of these landguards in the persons of Johnson Teye and Lovina Teye are still walking free, routinely hiring them to intimidate residents without any legal authorization or judicial backing.

"As a community, we have taken steps to report these incidents. Any time the police arrive at the scene, the landguards call a man by name Commander Awal Mohammed. After the police engage him, they become powerless and drive away. We want to know the interest of this commander in our land and our community," the residents further complained.

"To our President and father for all, John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for The Interior Comrade Muntaka Mubarak , and the Inspector General of Police: We urgently request your swift investigation and intervention to stop the ongoing attacks, harassment, and terrorization by armed land guards hired by Johnson Lomotey Teye and Lovina Teye," they repeated 

The residents added that Johnson Teye and Lovina Teye claimed the police are powerless to stop them from hiring land guards to terrorize and evict New Ogbojo residents because their party, the NDC, is currently in power.

They are therefore calling on the President and the Speaker of the Parliament to, immediately direct the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Coordinator to urgently investigate the matter and ensure the protection of residents.

They also wanted the state authorities to establish whether any person has obtained a lawful court order authorising the evictions or demolition of homes in New Ogbojo area.

Political claims

The residents further allege that the estate developer claimed the police are powerless to stop his illegal activities because his political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is currently in government.

The association is nevertheless urging the government of President to investigate the matter and ensure that political affiliation does not influence the enforcement of the law.

Demonstration

With attempts to resolve the matter through complaints to the security agencies yet to satisfy the residents, thousands of affected landlords taken their concerns to the streets.

The demonstration brought together affected homeowners and families who want the government and security agencies to intervene before the situation escalates.

The residents pointed out that their objective is not to create conflict but to draw national attention to what they consider a threat to their homes, families and personal safety.

For many families in New Ogbojo, the dispute is no longer simply about ownership of land.

It is about whether they can continue to sleep safely in homes they lamented they have occupied for decades, whether their children can return to school without fear, and whether they can remain in a community they have built over the years. *"We don't want any activities of land guards in our community anymore".*

The residents are therefore calling for an immediate investigation into the alleged land-guard activities, protection for residents and a lawful resolution of the underlying land