Tension erupted at Nsuaem in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region on Wednesday after some youth clashed with the police over an alleged child abduction incident.
The confrontation left several people injured, properties destroyed, and forced the temporary closure of the Nsuaem Police Station.
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The chaos began when a 25-year-old man, identified by police as Sulley Moses, was allegedly seen attempting to lure two schoolchildren near the Nivo Filling Station. According to eyewitnesses, a storekeeper raised an alarm after observing the suspect’s suspicious behaviour. The youth, supported by a female police officer, apprehended him and escorted him to the police station.
Police investigations confirmed that the children, aged seven and five, reported that the suspect had forcibly held the hand of one of them, prompting his detention for questioning.
What started as a routine arrest quickly escalated. Within minutes, a mob of more than 500 residents, armed with stones and sticks, besieged the police station, demanding that the suspect be handed over for instant justice.
The enraged youth blocked the Takoradi–Tarkwa highway, set tyres ablaze, and hurled stones at the police building.
Police refused to release the suspect, insisting that due process must be followed. This further inflamed tensions, sparking violent clashes that left three police officers and four civilians injured.
A police vehicle, parts of the station building, and several impounded motorbikes were vandalised, with some set on fire.
Officers fired warning shots to disperse the crowd, while reinforcement teams, supported by military personnel, were deployed to restore calm. All police personnel have since been evacuated from Nsuaem, and the station has been temporarily shut down. The suspect was transferred to the Tarkwa Regional Police Headquarters for further investigation.
One injured civilian was referred to the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital for treatment.
The father of the rescued children, Clement Wedam, said the ordeal had left his children traumatised.
The Western Regional Police Command has condemned the violence, describing the attack as unacceptable. It has vowed to identify and prosecute all those involved in the mob action.
Calm has since been restored, but security remains tight as investigations continue. Authorities are urging residents to remain law-abiding and allow due process to take its course.
