Six suspected armed robbers targeted and assaulted passengers returning from the Funsi market in the Wa East District to Tumu, leaving a community in shock and prompting heightened security measures.
According to victims who spoke with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) hours after the attack, the assailants not only robbed passengers of their money and valuables but subjected them to physical assault.
The driver, Mr. Adamu Kantong, aged 56, survived a gunshot during the ordeal, recounting the terrifying experience.
“I got to a pothole between Vamboi and Bandei around 1900hrs and was stopped by a man with a torchlight,” described Mr. Kantong.
“As I stopped, I struggled to open the driver's door, and the next thing was the gunshot, which pierced through my middle ring and small fingers; I immediately lost control of myself.”
The assailants proceeded to damage the hand of another passenger in the front seat before robbing them of phones and every penny they had.
Mr. Kantong, though treated and discharged from the hospital, lost part of his fingers.
He attributed the rise in such robberies to the poor state of the roads and called on authorities to address the infrastructure challenges.
In the aftermath of the attack, appeals were made to communities along the route to help recover stolen documents such as Ghana cards, health insurance cards, driver's licenses, and more.
A market woman, one of over 40 individuals robbed, recounted the severity of the attack, stating that everything was taken from her, and the assailants resorted to physical violence, hitting her with sticks.
The robbery spree extended to two Kia trucks returning from Funsi and Kojikperi markets, as well as other trucks from Ouagadougou carrying several motorcycles.
Superintendent Kumpe Gbele, the Sissala East Municipal Police Commander, assured the public that investigations were underway, promising enhanced security patrols to address the rising concerns of criminal activities.
The police commander shed light on recent incidents, including the killing of a man in Mwanduanu, treated as murder due to the absence of stolen property.
The suspected robbery between Sakalo to Sakai, resulting in the shooting of a student, is also under investigation. Tragic events on November 25, 2023, included the shooting and killing of a Fulbe settler in Sentie and a driver being robbed around the Sissili River close to Basisan.
“At the right time, the Police will give the public information on where they have reached with investigations,” Mr. Gbele assured, urging drivers to seek police escorts regardless of their destinations.
He emphasized the availability of enough police officers to protect the public and issued a warning for passengers carrying substantial sums of money to request free police escorts, underlining the importance of collective efforts for enhanced security on the roads.
