Abubakar Yakubu, Communications Officer for the Sunyani East Constituency of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been arrested and transferred to Accra over the publication of controversial AI-generated or digitally altered images depicting senior government officials in LGBTQ+ pride-themed outfits.
Yakubu, popularly known as Baba Amando, was arrested on April 13, 2026, by the Bono Regional Police Command and subsequently transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters in Accra.
The arrest follows a Facebook post made by Baba Amando on April 8, 2026, in which he shared four manipulated images of President John Dramani Mahama, Hon. Sam Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, and Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications.
One of the images portrayed President Mahama wearing a bright ginger bob-style wig, heavy makeup including purple eyeshadow and red lipstick, and an orange blouse. The images generated widespread online debate and political reactions.
The arrest also comes amid heightened public debate over LGBTQ+ issues in Ghana. The debate intensified after Felix Kwakye Ofosu recently stated that the government had more pressing priorities than assenting to the proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bill, a position critics say differs from earlier positions taken by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) while in opposition.
Earlier reports indicated that Baba Amando had been invited by the Cyber Security Department of the Bono Regional Police Command for questioning on April 10, 2026. However, a subsequent statement issued by the NPP said Yakubu voluntarily honoured a police invitation at the Bono Regional Police Headquarters on April 13, accompanied by his lawyer, Alfred Tuah Yeboah, a former Deputy Attorney-General.
According to the NPP, officers at the regional command initially informed Yakubu and his lawyer that they had no knowledge of the invitation. The party said subsequent communication with the CID Headquarters in Accra revealed that authorities in the capital had requested his transfer and directed the Bono Regional Police CID to arrest and transport him to Accra.
Police authorities have not publicly detailed the exact charges against Yakubu. However, the case is reportedly linked to allegations of false publication and statements considered likely to disturb public peace.
In Ghana, Section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and Section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), have previously been used in cases involving allegedly offensive or false online publications. The use of criminal sanctions in speech-related cases, particularly those involving political commentary, has long generated concerns among free expression advocates about proportionality and the potential chilling effect on public discourse.
In a statement issued after the arrest, the NPP described the development as “deeply troubling” for Ghana’s democratic credentials and alleged that state security institutions were being used to intimidate dissenting voices. The party further characterised the arrest as a distraction from broader national concerns, including economic pressures and debates over LGBTQ+ policy.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) calls on the Ghana Police Service to ensure strict compliance with due process guarantees, including prompt access to legal representation, clarity regarding the legal basis for the arrest, and transparency throughout the investigation.
MFWA further urges the government to reconsider the continued reliance on criminal provisions to address disputed or controversial expression, noting that civil remedies and public rebuttal mechanisms are generally more proportionate responses in democratic societies.
