I thought it was a kidnapping – Baffour Awuah explains dramatic escape from EOCO officers

Manhyia South MP, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has recounted a tense encounter with a woman he says attempted to take him to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) after a court proceeding on Wednesday. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express hours after the incident, the lawyer said the woman approached him after he had addressed the media and told him he was needed at EOCO. He said she then firmly held his wrist.

“She firmly held my wrist, with the greatest of respect. I’ve never come across a woman that strong before.” According to him, the grip was so tight that he had to free himself. “She held my hand so tight, so firmly that I had to wriggle myself from her hand.” Mr Awuah said he offered to drive the woman to EOCO, but she refused.

“She was insistent on resisting me from sitting in my car, but would rather arrest me like a common criminal and put me in their car.” He said he then asked her to produce an identification card showing she was from EOCO. “What even shows you are from EOCO? She couldn’t even produce it.” Mr Awuah said the incident made him suspect that he could be the target of an abduction.

“I thought that, Look, this is one of the kidnappings that have been going on, illegal these are this is one of the kidnappings, state-sponsored kidnappings that have been going on, and so I will not sit in the car.” He insisted that he was prepared to go to EOCO if the proper process was followed. “When EOCO is right ready to do the right thing, I will go there. I’m not afraid of anything.” Mr Awuah also rejected the suggestion that he had fled to Parliament to evade a lawful arrest.

An attempt to abduct me by persons who don’t want to work with the law, and so it is not wrong if I’m seeking sanctuary.” He added: “In fact, you seek sanctuary against kidnappers, and so if I’m seeking sanctuary, it is not wrong.” Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has defended his decision to drive away from Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) officials after an attempt to take him to the agency on Wednesday. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express hours after the incident, the private legal practitioner said he was willing to go to EOCO, but only if the agency was ready to follow what he described as the proper procedure.

Baffour Awuah said the incident occurred after he had come out of court and addressed the media. He said a woman then approached him and told him that he was needed at EOCO. According to him, the woman firmly held his wrist, prompting him to wriggle himself free.