JoyNews reporter detained by National Security amid coverage of McDan warehouse demolition

Accra, Ghana — July 30, 2025

The standoff at the McDan warehouse demolition site has intensified as a JoyNews journalist was detained by National Security operatives while covering the event. The reporter, whose identity is currently withheld for safety reasons, was reportedly filming when officers abruptly interrupted the coverage, seized equipment, and escorted him away for "questioning."

This follows earlier reports that soldiers had blocked a live JoyNews broadcast and assaulted a civilian eyewitness at the same location in East Legon, where government authorities are carrying out a demolition exercise on a disputed property linked to businessman Daniel McKorley, popularly known as McDan.

Eyewitnesses say the journalist was approached by plain-clothed National Security personnel who forcibly took his camera and phone before placing him into an unmarked vehicle. The detention occurred even after the journalist had presented valid media accreditation.

JoyNews has since confirmed the detention and demanded the immediate release of its journalist, calling the act "a direct attack on press freedom and democracy."

“This is a dark day for journalism in Ghana,” said a senior producer at JoyNews. “Our reporter was doing his lawful duty — to report and inform. The use of National Security to intimidate and suppress journalism is deeply worrying.”

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) swiftly condemned the arrest, urging the National Media Commission and Parliament to intervene.

Civil society organizations have echoed these concerns, describing the actions of the military and security agencies as authoritarian and unacceptable in a democratic society.

“This pattern of intimidation is dangerous,” said Selorm Adjei, legal analyst at the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana). “We are seeing the slow but steady normalization of using force against journalists.”

The McDan property demolition has been marred by controversy from the onset, with conflicting claims over land ownership and jurisdiction. While city authorities maintain that the land falls within a government-zoned area, critics argue the demolition is politically motivated and lacks transparency.

As pressure mounts for the journalist’s release and a broader investigation into the incident, this latest development raises urgent questions about media safety, abuse of power, and Ghana's commitment to democratic values