You have every right to shoot and kill anyone in a mask who enters your house to arrest you – Lawyer
Kofi Bentil Condemns Armed, Masked Home Raids as Unlawful and Potentially Criminal.
Kofi Bentil, Vice President of IMANI Africa and a legal practitioner, has strongly criticized the practice of masked and armed individuals invading private homes under the pretense of effecting an arrest. He stated that such actions are unlawful and may constitute kidnapping, emphasizing that citizens have the legal right to defend themselves—including with firearms—in such scenarios.
Speaking in an interview with Joy News on April 10, 2025, Bentil referenced a recent incident involving officers believed to be from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), who allegedly stormed the residence of the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev Ntim Fordjour. The officers reportedly attempted to arrest the MP, who also serves as the Minority's Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament.
Bentil denounced the action as illegal and warned state security operatives against using such intimidating and lawless tactics.
“If you are in your home, you have many rights—your right to freedom, privacy, and to protect your family and property,” he stated. “Anyone seeking to breach these rights must have a legal warrant or authorization. Without such authority, their actions could have serious legal consequences.”
He further explained that Article 14 of the Constitution grants individuals the right to defend themselves with reasonable force, including the use of firearms, if someone unlawfully breaks into their home.
In a separate social media post, Bentil reiterated his position: “If a masked person tries to arrest you, you have a legal right to resist—it could be a kidnapping. If masked individuals attempt to enter your home, you have a constitutional right to defend yourself, even to the extent of using lethal force. See Article 13(2)(a).”
The attempted arrest of Rev Ntim Fordjour was thwarted after several Minority MPs and leaders from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) arrived at his residence to intervene, preventing the NIB operatives from proceeding.
This incident follows serious allegations made by the MP during a press conference on April 1, 2025. Rev Fordjour claimed that two aircraft—an air ambulance and a private jet—may have been involved in drug trafficking or money laundering. He cited Air MED flight L823 AM, which landed in Ghana on March 20, 2025, and remained in the country for five days without carrying any documented medical patient, raising suspicions.
In response to the allegations, President John Dramani Mahama directed all security agencies to fully cooperate with the MP in investigating the matter. He reaffirmed Ghana’s zero-tolerance policy on drug trafficking and stressed that the country would not allow itself to be used as a conduit for illegal drug operations. The President called for full transparency and appropriate action to uncover any criminal activity linked to the flights.
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