West Africa Editors Society condemns military assault on journalist

The West Africa Editors Society (WAES) has raised serious concerns over the safety of journalists and the state of press freedom in Ghana following the alleged assault of a journalist by military officers.

In a statement issued on January 27, 2026, and signed by its Interim President, Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, the West Africa Editors Society (WAES) condemned what it described as an unprovoked attack on Solomon Kanaluwe, the North East Regional Correspondent of Media General. The Society said the journalist was detained by military officers and subjected to severe beatings with sticks, resulting in multiple lacerations and bodily injuries.

WAES expressed alarm at what it called the increasing number of attacks on journalists by state security officers and the apparent inaction of authorities to bring such abuses to an end. The Society noted that the assault on Mr. Kanaluwe comes barely a month after officers of the Ghana National Fire Service were accused of assaulting Samuel Addo of Class Media Group in Kasoa, a case which remains unresolved.

The Editors’ body criticised the manner in which cases involving the arrest, detention, and assault of journalists by police, fire service, and military personnel are being handled, stressing that the core mandate of state security agencies is to protect lives, property, and maintain peace—not to intimidate or brutalise media practitioners in the line of duty.

WAES warned that while Ghana has long enjoyed a reputation as a beacon of democratic practice in Africa and beyond, repeated misconduct by state security officers risks tarnishing the country’s international image.

The Society has therefore called on the relevant authorities to act with urgency by investigating reported cases of abuse, reining in offending officers, and sanctioning all those found culpable to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.