The Member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, Hon. Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, has secured police enquiry bail for NPP social media activist Efya Royal following her arrest by the Police.
Efya Royal was granted bail in the sum of GHC20,000 after being arrested on suspicion of sharing a post published by popular TikToker known as “Ghana Jollof”.
Her whereabouts had reportedly remained unknown over the weekend after she was taken into custody, sparking concern among supporters and triggering widespread discussion on social media.
The Police subsequently confirmed her arrest after the issue gained public attention.
Sources say Dr Ayew Afriye and the NPP’s Director of Legal Services, Mr Gary Nimako, spent several hours at the Cantonments Police Station on Monday, working into the night to secure bail for the NPP activist.
The circumstances surrounding Efya Royal’s detention have attracted criticism from sections of the public and NPP supporters, with concerns raised about the manner in which she was arrested and questioned.
Dr Ayew Afriye had earlier strongly criticised the decision to involve Efya Royal in investigations into the identity of “Ghana Jollof”.
He questioned the basis for linking the activist to the anonymous TikToker and called on the security agencies to rely on proper cyber-intelligence and digital-forensic methods in their investigations.
The development also prompted a strong reaction from NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as COKA.
COKA described the arrest and detention of Efya Royal as “a very sad one” and urged the National Signals Bureau and the Special Investigation Unit of the Ghana Police Service CID to operate professionally.
“Intelligence agencies worldwide operate with precision and are not based on the abuse of their powers of arrest.”
He cautioned security agencies against arresting people based on what he described as misconstrued or false identities.
“Ghana is not a banana republic. The state security apparatus should be professionally minded and free Efya Royal now.”
Dr Ayew Afriye’s intervention and the subsequent granting of bail have drawn praise from NPP supporters, who say the MP has consistently advocated for the welfare of young people and party members.
The latest development brings temporary relief to supporters who had raised concerns over Efya Royal’s detention.
However, questions remain about the circumstances that led to her arrest and the Police investigation into the alleged sharing of content linked to “Ghana Jollof”.
Editor:
Obiri-Yeboah
