A storm erupted after Ghanaian visual artist Ibrahim Mahama strongly rejected the official police account of a recent incident in Tamale, insisting that he and others were violently attacked by members of the police’s Black Maria Special Operations unit. Mahama’s version directly contradicts the Ghana Police Service, which dismissed the assault claims as inaccurate.
According to Mahama, the confrontation was far from routine. He says the Black Maria unit used excessive force, leaving him and his associates injured and shaken during what he describes as a targeted attack.
The Police Service, however, maintains that the incident was a traffic enforcement situation that escalated after a driver allegedly obstructed an intersection near Mariam Hotel during heavy Eid-related congestion. Officials say there was no deliberate attack on Mahama, and that tensions arose due to the behaviour of road users.
Amid these conflicting accounts, the Northern Regional Police Command has launched an investigation into the alleged assault. Authorities say they are committed to establishing the facts and determining whether any police misconduct occurred.
The incident has ignited a heated public debate about police conduct, civil rights, and accountability, with many calling for transparency and stronger oversight of law enforcement operations.
