Ghanaian Artist Ibrahim Mahama Allegedly Assaulted by State Police
Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama said he is considering legal action after members of Ghana’s Special Operations Team, known as the “Black Maria,” allegedly assaulted him on March 21, 2026, following Eid al-Fitr prayers in Tamale. Local reports said officers were clearing traffic and attacked motorists, with Mahama reportedly losing two teeth and receiving hospital treatment; it is unclear whether he was targeted. The Ghana Police Service denied the allegations in a March 21 press release, calling reports “false,” stating the unit was not in the region and had been removed from the area on March 5, and saying an investigation would be launched. On March 24, Mahama’s gallery White Cube and his Tamale-based Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art and Red Clay Studio called for an immediate independent investigation and disclosure of the officers’ identities; Mahama, who represented Ghana in its first Venice Biennale pavilion, also reportedly accused unit leader Bawah Abdul Jali of attempting to slap him.
From This Briefing
This story was covered in Venice Defiance, Monuments Return, A.I. Retreat