Police in the Central Region on Thursday picked up seven Pakistani nationals and six Ghanaians at Assin Fosu over suspicion that they could be terrorists.
The thirteen who claim to be Ahmadiyya sect missionaries are said to have arrived in the country six months ago and have been preaching in villages across the country.
Nazar Muhammed, Amin Muhammed, Israr Muhammed, Ali Khan, GulMuhammed, Nazir Gul and Jan Alam were picked up Thursday morning while moving from Assin Nyankomase to Assin Fosu in the Central Region.
Assin Fosu District Police Commander, DSP Samuel Lawson, told Joy News the foreigners are currently in the custody of the Ghana Immigration Service while investigations continue.
He revealed his unit picked up the thirteen Pakistani nationals upon a tipoff around 9:00am Thursday, however, during interrogation, police could not tell if they were in the country legally or not.
They subsequently called in the Ghana Immigration Service to check whether their status in the country, DSP Lawson said.
Meanwhile, the Immigration Service told Joy News its preliminary investigations indicate that there is no cause for alarm.
Raymond Bahey, who speaks for the Ghana Immigration Service Training School in the Central Region, said their investigations confirm the claim by the Pakistanis that they are on a mission to preach Islam to communities across the country.
“However, investigations are still ongoing so whatever it is it will surely come out,” he assured, urging public calm.
The Pakistani nationals have since been transferred to the Cape Coast Regional headquarters of the Immigration Service for further investigations, Bahey revealed.
Ghana has been on high security alert after attacks on its neighbours Burkina Faso and Cote DÍvoire and other countries on the West African sub-region.
The National Security Council has called for public vigilance, stating a terror threat in Ghana is credible.