Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno has called on Christian and Muslim leaders across Ghana to use their influence to de-escalate growing religious tensions and protect the nation’s peaceful coexistence.
Speaking at a meeting between the Police Management Board (POMAB) and religious leaders on Friday, August 14, Mr Yohuno stated that recent incidents have created a moment of “profound tension” as religious friction intensifies across traditional and social media platforms.
He highlighted provocative comments about the Holy Prophet Muhammad, calls for extrajudicial violence, and the assault of a handcuffed Christian cleric as developments testing Ghana’s commitment to tolerance and the rule of law.
“We gather in a moment of profound tension, a moment where the foundational peace of our beloved republic is being severely tested,” the IGP said.
Mr Yohuno disclosed that the Ghana Police Service has arrested three individuals in connection with these events: an Islamic cleric who allegedly called for extrajudicial killings, a Christian cleric accused of blasphemous statements, and a person captured on video allegedly slapping a handcuffed pastor. All three are currently on bail as investigations continue.
He stressed that the police acted swiftly to ensure the allegations are handled through legal channels rather than self-help.
“The police have acted proactively and set the wheels of justice in motion,” he said, adding that law enforcement alone cannot heal the deeper social fractures. “Police action alone cannot heal a fractured spirit. Law enforcement can restrain hands, but only faith, leadership and conscience can heal hearts.”
Mr Yohuno emphasised that neither religious provocation nor anger justifies violence, urging citizens to report grievances to authorities.
“Violence will not fix what words have broken,” he noted, stressing that “vigilante retribution will never replace the rule of law in Ghana.”
He warned that permitting individuals to punish alleged offenders threatens Ghana’s constitutional order and historical stability.
Addressing the Muslim community, the IGP acknowledged their deep reverence for the Holy Prophet Muhammad but appealed against allowing provocation to spark violence, reminding them that Islamic teachings encourage restraint, wisdom, and peace over mob action.
Similarly, he urged Christian leaders and believers to exercise restraint in public speech, noting that freedom of expression should not be used to insult or desecrate sacred beliefs, symbols, or prophets.
The IGP called on religious leaders to publicly demonstrate unity through joint statements and engagements to reassure citizens that religious differences need not divide the nation. He reminded them that Christians and Muslims share deep historical and familial ties.
“Christians and Muslims in this country are not strangers to one another,” he said.
Furthermore, Mr Yohuno urged leaders to guide the youth, who are particularly vulnerable to inflammatory online content, and cautioned citizens against reacting impulsively to social media provocations.
Pointing to regional conflicts across West Africa sparked by minor disputes, the IGP warned against taking Ghana’s peace for granted.
“Ghana has been spared this tragedy, not because we are immune to disagreement, but because generations before us chose to dialogue over destruction and brotherhood over war,” he concluded.
