World renowned artist, Ibrahim Mahama alleges Ghanaian police brutality – Akumbu Uche

In the Islamic calendar, the Eid el-Fitr holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, and is a day of thanksgiving and joyful celebration. Most Muslims typically commemorate the holiday by attending congregational prayers at special Eid grounds and select mosques in the morning, before proceeding with communal and family celebrations. 

On Saturday, March 21, 2026, Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama, together with members of his family, was returning from Eid el-Fitr prayers at a mosque in Tamale, Northern Ghana, when the bus he was travelling in got caught up in a traffic jam near the city’s Mariam Hotel junction. It was at this point, alleges Mahama and his team, that a team of Ghana police personnel attempted to force its way through the heavy traffic. Failing to navigate the congestion, the officers vented their frustration on civilians, subjecting them to “unwarranted physical assault.” 

The police officers, whom Mahama has identified as members of a special operations taskforce colloquially referred to as “Black Maria,” forced their way into Mahama’s bus, assaulting him and his uncle. He managed to record the incident, however, as he further alleges, the officers confiscated his phone and deleted the footage. As a result of the attack, Mahama sustained serious injuries, including three broken teeth, and was hospitalised shortly after. 

A renowned contemporary artist, Ibrahim Mahama is the founder of several non-profit arts organizations, namely the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA), Red Clay Studio and Nkrumah Voli-ni, all operating out of Tamale. Converting everyday materials and abandoned infrastructure into large-scale installations and sculptures, he explores themes of commodity, migration, globalization, and economic exchange, and engages with collective memory and historical narratives in his work. 

Mahama topped the ArtReview Power 100 list last year and was a 2020 Principal Prince Claus Laureate. His works, which have garnered critical acclaim, have been exhibited at various leading art fairs and institutions including the 2023 Bienal de São Paulo, the 2023 Venice Biennale, the National Museum of African Art in Washington DC, as well as Ibraaz and the Barbican Centre in London. Mahama also holds a diplomatic passport, an honour granted to him by the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2025 in recognition of his contributions to promoting Ghanaian and African art globally. 

Considering Mahama’s celebrity and professional privilege failing to grant him immunity, residents of Tamale and environs have expressed concern over their own vulnerability to police brutality. 

Ghanaian cultural institutions, Foundation for Contemporary Art-Ghana and blaxTARLINES KUMASI have condemned the attack on Mahama. In a joint press statement with the SCCA and Mahama’s other organizations, they warned against the excesses of the task force, which was originally set up to combat serious crimes like drug trafficking. “Abuses like these constitute grave violations of citizens’ rights. Such actions often go unpunished and have the potential to erode public trust in law enforcement. Every citizen has the fundamental right to be protected in the country.”

Reacting to the news from her London base, Ghanaian-British artist, curator, and educator, Barby Asante, expressed disappointment, calling the incident “absolutely devastating.” She recalled similar dehumanising police–civilian interactions she had both witnessed and heard of in Accra, including one where the police stripped a ride-share driver naked on the street. “These kinds of things should not be happening, especially as Ghana is putting itself out there as a peaceful and safe country,” she added. 

Commiserating with Mahama, Ghanaian artist and filmmaker Eric Gyamfi sees this incident as an opportunity for much needed nation-wide police reform. “The police force needs serious accountability and reform when it comes to the way they deal with the general public. I hope this contributes to that,” he said. 

Twitter user, Zubaida Ismail however cast doubts on the accuracy of Mahama’s recollections by arguing that all Black Maria teams across Ghana’s Northern Region had been recalled and replaced with new “Red Maria” teams earlier this month. 

Various police representatives have released contradictory statements. While the Northern Regional Police Command issued a statement denying the involvement of the special operations “Black Maria” team in the incident, DSP Bawah Abdul Jalil, the leader of the special operations team, disclosed to Ghanaian news outlet, MyJoyOnline that contrary to being the perpetrators of an act of police brutality, his team had actually acted proactively in intervening in a traffic obstruction, and preventing a mob attack. 

The Lagos Review reached out to the Ghana Police Service Headquarters for clarification on the matter, but there has been no response. Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Christian Tetteh-Yohuno, has launched an investigation into the incident. 

At a press conference on Monday, March 23, Ibrahim Mahama presented evidence of his injuries and revealed his plans to pursue legal action against the special operations task force, a decision, which he maintains, is motivated by a sense of justice and “for the benefit of the collective community we are in.”  

Mahama was unable to grant a personal interview to The Lagos Review as he was receiving dental treatment at the time. Speaking on his behalf, the Artistic Director of the SCCA, Selom Kudjie said “We stand behind our leader, Ibrahim Mahama, and oppose any violence meted out against any member of society. In line with our cultural and institutional values, we hereby stand in solidarity with other victims of police brutality.” 

Mahama, who is experiencing speech and sleep difficulties as a result of his ordeal, is still undergoing medical treatment, and has cancelled upcoming international engagements in the Netherlands, Finland, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, where he was scheduled to give a series of lectures at the Royal College of Art, the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. 

 

• Photographs courtesy of the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA), Tamale