Bureau of National Investigations
Abbreviation | BNI |
---|---|
Established | 1996 |
Legal status | Active |
Purpose |
Cyberwarfare Espionage Counterintelligence Internal security Intelligence agency Security agency |
Region served | Ghana (Worldwide) |
Affiliations |
Ministry of Defence (Ghana) Presidency of Ghana |
Budget | $2-4 billion (estimate) |
Staff | 20,000 |
The Bureau of National Investigations is the internal intelligence agency of Ghana.[1] Bureau of National Investigations |BNI is an integral part of the National Security Council which oversees matters of the counterintelligence and security of Ghana both internal security and external security.[1] The Bureau of National Investigations |BNI has investigative jurisdiction to arrest or detain and interrogate over a wide range of criminal offenses.[1]
Among the duties of the Bureau of National Investigations |BNI are dealing with organized crime and financial crime, and providing intelligence to counter threats to Ghana's national security.[1] The Bureau of National Investigations |BNI is legally a creature of, The Security and Intelligence Agencies Act (Act 526) 1996, having been continued in existence by Section 10 of that Act.[1] The BNI has undisclosed offices in all the ten regions of Ghana and internationally.[1]
Organization
The Bureau of National Investigations |BNI, previously known as the "Special Branch," is a counterintelligence and internal security and external security agency composed of civilian personnel whose role is to establish close surveillance over opponents of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of Ghana.[2] The Bureau of National Investigations |BNI has power to interrogate and detain people whom they suspect of subversion "without trial indefinitely, on grounds of national security of the Republic of Ghana.[2] Additional information on the Bureau of National Investigations |BNI intelligence agency is classified information.[2]