…Kan Dapaah’s Signal Boys On Extortion Spree
There are calls for President Akufo-Addo to investigate elements within the National Security set up said to be engaged in brisk criminal fuel extortion deals.
According to sources, the National Security operatives led by one Osei Tutu, have set in motion an operation ostensibly to extort money from oil tanker owners. The deal is said to be very lucrative.
Osei Tutu upon investigation, works at the National Signals Bureau (NSB) under the National Security Ministry headed by Albert Kan Dapaah.
The Bureau headed by Kwabena Adu-Boahen has it office located at Cantonments in Accra.
National Signals Bureau amongst others with cameras monitors, collects, analyzes and disseminates information from cyberspace, electronic media to counter threats to security so as to prevent and deter the commission of a serious crime across the country.
The said Osei Tutu according to reliable information works in cahoots with yet to be named notorious criminals operating across the country.
Their modus operandi this paper gathered, is that because Osei Tutu operates at the privileged National Signals Bureau, he and his cohorts are able to identify and track oil tankers moving from one place to the other across the country.
When the tankers set off, these operatives, arrest these drivers in different operations and demand moneys.
DAYBREAK was told failure to heed to their demand will amount to them accusing the tanker of diversion and so they go ahead to seize the tanker and later auction it.
The criminal act is being perpetuated across the country.
Recall that about two weeks ago, DAYBREAK reported about similar activities by the operatives of the National Security, who seize these tankers with claims that they have been diverted.
In that publication on Tuesday July 13, 2021, the story cited an instance where in May 2021 a tanker was seized with the same excuse even though there was NPA tracker on it, showing where the tanker was heading to.
In that operation, the tanker was seized from Takoradi and swiftly moved to Accra. Immediately it arrived in Accra, the product was auctioned quickly.
Before the owner could arrive to make his case, the fuel had secretly been auctioned.
In another operation, a very top of official of the National Security, was alleged to have travelled all the way from Accra to the oil city Takoradi to auction a seized tanker with an auctioneer without the knowledge of the owner.
After the operation, they quickly returned to base in Accra.
They have allegedly created a private account where moneys raised from these illegal auctioning of fuel are paid into.
These operation this paper was informed, is not officially sanctioned and so moneys accrued goes into individual pockets.
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), which is the mandated state institution to take steps to auction these fuels and proceeds paid into state coffers are not contacted.
These unsanctioned operations are said to be hurting businesses because in most cases, victims are powerless and are afraid of the repercussions of coming out.
Businesses end up losing so much to these activities of the operatives.
Sources say because of the tag on the National Security and the way they operate, their victims are unable to challenge their actions.
These operations is what is fueling calls on the President to launch an investigation into these activities and bring perpetrators to book.
