Northern Command GOC Warns Soldiers Against Misusing Uniforms, Extortion and Drug Abuse
The General Officer Commanding of the Ghana Armed Forces’ Northern Command, Brigadier General Franklyn Worlanyo Agbebo, has warned that soldiers who misuse military uniforms on social media, extort money from civilians, or abuse drugs risk dismissal.
He said the command would take disciplinary action against personnel whose conduct undermines military professionalism, particularly those using platforms such as TikTok to publish inappropriate videos while dressed in military uniforms.
He gave the warning on Wednesday, 28th October 2026, at the 10 Mechanised Battalion Barracks during the launch of Memoirs of an Infantry Officer, Volume 1, authored by the battalion’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel James Bampoe Palmer.
“We are going to try some soldiers and punish them,” Brigadier General Agbebo warned, adding that disciplinary proceedings would soon be initiated against personnel found culpable.
The GOC also condemned the involvement of soldiers in land disputes, debt recovery and other private matters, particularly where they use their military positions or mobilise fellow personnel to intimidate civilians.
He urged soldiers with personal grievances to seek assistance from the police and other appropriate civil authorities instead of using force or exploiting their military status.
“Whatever you do and you don’t want your commander to hear it means that you are doing bad. You don’t do it. That should be a guiding principle,” he said.
Brigadier General Agbebo further warned against extortion and impersonation, stressing that soldiers who unlawfully obtain money from civilians by exploiting their military status would face serious consequences.
He also raised concerns about drug and substance abuse among personnel, noting that such conduct was particularly dangerous in a profession that requires soldiers to handle weapons and live ammunition. He said the command would not tolerate substance abuse that compromised personnel’s ability to discharge their duties safely.
The GOC urged officers and soldiers to protect the integrity of the military uniform, warning that the misconduct of individual personnel could damage public confidence in the entire Ghana Armed Forces.
His warning came as Lieutenant Colonel Palmer launched the first volume of his memoir, which documents his military career, including international peacekeeping deployments and leadership assignments.
The book recounts his experiences in Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, as well as his service in Liberia from December 2022 to May 2025 as a battalion adviser.
Lieutenant Colonel Palmer said the publication was intended to preserve professional experiences and lessons for future generations of military personnel. He said the memoir reflected not only his achievements but also the challenges, mistakes and opportunities that shaped his development as an infantry officer.
He expressed hope that the book would serve as a resource for young officers, aspiring military leaders, instructors, researchers and the general public.
