Tensions Rise as NPP Supporters Defend Chairman Wontumi Amid Attempted Arrest
A tense standoff unfolded in Kumasi on Friday, May 23, 2025, as supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flooded the residence of Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, following an attempted arrest by the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) and the Ghana Police Service.
Heavily armed officers reportedly surrounded the property early in the morning, prompting a rapid mobilisation of NPP loyalists who gathered in protest. The motive behind the security operation remains unclear, but sources indicate that Chairman Wontumi was inside the house during the incident and communicated to authorities that he would respond to their invitation on Monday, May 26.
The growing crowd of demonstrators chanted slogans and demanded answers from authorities, leading to increased tensions. Amid the uproar, the NIB reportedly ordered the withdrawal of officers from the scene, helping to defuse the standoff.
Although calm has returned, a significant number of supporters remain stationed near Chairman Wontumi’s residence, maintaining a watchful presence.
Addressing the media, NPP Ashanti Regional Secretary Kwame Adom-Appiah, who also serves on Wontumi’s legal team, criticized the security operation as excessive and poorly executed.
“When you are going to arrest someone and arrive with about 20 vehicles, when the person is neither a coup plotter nor has any intention to overthrow the government, I don’t think it is appropriate,” Adom-Appiah stated. “Deploying that many cars is not only excessive but also a burden on the state. A simple invitation would have sufficed. And even if he failed to honour it, there are proper, lawful ways to effect an arrest.”
The incident has sparked concerns over the growing politicisation of law enforcement actions and raised questions about transparency and due process in high-profile investigations.
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