Hamile explosion: Gov't cuts curfew to 10pm–4am as Muntaka visits injured officer

The government of Ghana has shortened the curfew in Hamile Township and nearby areas to 10:00 pm–4:00 am, effective immediately. This reduction in the curfew hours, from the previous 6:00 pm–5:00 am restriction, comes two days after the country imposed a similar curfew following a deadly explosion during a border patrol. The Interior Ministry, led by Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, made the announcement in a statement signed by the minister.

The shorter curfew does not relax the strict weapons restrictions in the area, which still prohibit possession of guns, ammunition, or other offensive weapons, resulting in immediate arrest and prosecution for anyone caught with them. Despite the change in curfew hours, residents, young people, chiefs, and community leaders are advised to remain calm and pursue their grievances peacefully.

The Ministry of the Interior urged the public to refrain from unsafe handling, transport, and use of explosive materials, urging strict compliance with safety laws.

Inspector Rashad Yussif, the injured immigration officer who suffered severe injuries in the explosion, was visited by Minister Muntaka and senior GIS commanders on Wednesday, November 4. The officer was airlifted from Nandom Hospital to Accra via a Ghana Air Force medical team. The government expressed sympathy to the officer's family and assured them that the government would cover all medical bills and support him throughout his recovery.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, November 3, when a four-member GIS patrol team encountered a motor tricycle carrying two individuals on an unauthorized route. When the patrol officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver veered off the road, leading to a pursuit and the subsequent explosion of explosives on the vehicle. The blast killed one immigration officer and two civilians on the tricycle, while another officer sustained severe injuries.

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) mourned the officer killed and appealed to residents not to attack security personnel conducting lawful patrols. The government has initiated an investigation into the cause of the explosion and the subsequent clashes, which resulted in about ten additional injuries.