Why authorities arrest Ghana lawmaker Baffour Awuah and detain am overnight?

One Ghanaian lawmaker and opposition member of parliament for Manhyia South spend di night for custody.

Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah chop arrest afta im surrender to di kontris Economic and Organised Crime Office (Eoco) on Thursday morning.

Dis be one week afta di lawmaker resist arrest wen law enforcement pipo try to pick am up for di premises of di law court complex.

According to di crime office, di 44-year-old lawmaker bin refuse many invitations to assist wit investigation into one financial case, since February 2026.

Di lawmaker allegedly cause scene for di court complex wen Eoco officer try to arrest am on 23 September.

Inside viral videos on top social media, di lawmaker refuse to cooperate wit di officers, wia im body guards prevent di female officer from picking him.

Di MP later explain say im refuse to follow di officer sake of im fear say dem wan "kidnap am" sake of di officer no show any ID card or warrant.

Di opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) accuse Eoco for one press conference at dat time say dem dey intimidate dia members.

Dem also allege say di govment use di attempted arrest of dia member to divert attention from di plenty cocaine-related cases wia dey linked to Ghana for di past two weeks.

Baffour Awuah spend di night for Eoco custody

Tori for Friday morning be say di Economic and Organised Crime Office (Eoco) don grant di lawmaker bail of GHc50m ($4.3m) wit three sureties.

But Eoco sources tok BBC pidgin say dis no be true.

As at di time of dis publication, di MP and im legal team no confam dis and whether dem meet di alleged bail conditions yet.

But crime office explain details of wetin happun when di lawmaker report to dia office.

"Appearance of Nana Agyei Baffour for Eoco office dey related to ongoing investigation for allegation wia relate to criminal conspiracy, financial loss to SIC savings and loans," authorities tok.

Eoco add say di MP also dey connected to "money laundering, tax-related offences and oda tins wia dey under investigation."

Di crime office later search di home and offices of di lawmaker wia dem tok say "we go pursue all relevant lines and examine di available evidence."

During di detention of di lawmaker, Eoco officers bin arrest three pipo wia bin dey fly drone on top dia premises without permission.

Di three pipo wey include one woman, allegedly fly di drone for many minutes bifor authorities pursue dem.

E no dey clear why dem bin dey fly di drone for di security zone at dat time but sabi pipo say "to dey spy on top security agency like Eoco, na ogbonge crime."

Dr Ishmael Norman tok local media JoyNews say "to fly drones ova unauthorised structure like security agency building fit attract 30-year jail term."

Im tok say wetin happun na breach of security protocol around sensitive installation if authorities prove di allegation of spying.

Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah deny allegations

Earlier di Manhyia South MP deny allegations of financial conspiracy wia relate to legal fees im law firm bin charge when dem represent SIC Life savings and loans for one case.

Tori be say di MP and businessman pocket millions of cedis from one GHC5m (4425k) settlement wia involve land dispute between SIC Life Savings and Loans and odas.

"E neva be true say dem pay me or my law firm GHC2.2m out of di GHC5m settlement money, nobody transfer any money to me or di firm," Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah write on top im social media page during di week.

E neva dey clear if di Eoco investigations dey cover dis alleged transaction alone.

Di Minority leader for parliament Alexander Afenyo-Markin reacting to di detention of di Manhyia South MP, tok say Eoco and di govment gatz use dia power to pursue drug kingpins wia dey traffick cocaine for di kontri, instead of persecuting political opponents.

"Eoco bin keep Baffour Awuah for hours bifor dem begin to question am. Dis NDC culture of using coercive state power to punish suspects no for dey our system today."

Afenyo-Markin add say "we no dey try prejudice di SIC Life savings and loans investigation, nobody dey above di law, but we believe say di treatment of di MP be part of attempt to intimidate critical political opposition voices."

Lawyer for di lawmaker tok say Eoco don formally charge am wit causing financial loss to di state and money laundering.

Atta Akyea dispute di basis for di allegations for di SIC Life savings and loans transaction against im client.

Im tok say di role of im client for di transaction dey strictly connected to legitimate legal services wia im provide to SIC Life.

Im argue say dem get trail wia show say di law firm bin act on di instruction of SIC Life wia dem follow di process to recover di investment for dat case.

"Nothing about dis transaction dey call for dis kind charges against my client. Lawyer don deliver service, paper trail dey to dat effect, dem file documents for court; how you go tok say dis be criminality? I no dey understand," Atta Akyea tok JoyNews.

Who be Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah

Di 44-year-old be Member of Parliament for Manhyia South constituency for di Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Im enta parliament afta winning di 2024 parliamentary election when im replace Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh wia become di running mate for di NPP presidential candidate and former vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Bifor Baffour Awuah enta parliament, im be senior partner of di Sarkodie Baffour Awuah and partners law firm.

Inside parliament, Baffour Awuah be member of di constitutional and legal affairs committee, wia im also be vice chairman for di subsidiary legislation committee.