10 Highway Robbers Grabbed

POLICE IN the Northern region arrested a gang of 10 suspected highway robbers in the early hours of Monday at Gbaale near Sawla in the Sawla-Tuna Kalba district.

The suspects including three Fulanis are currently in police detention in Tamale while efforts are underway to arraign them after investigations.

Briefing the media on the arrest, Deputy Northern Regional Police Commander, ACP Matthew Kojo Appiagyie, said his outfit received information that one Musah, an alleged armed robber was harboring five other accomplices in his house.

Based on the information, collaboration was established between the police and military leading to the deployment of armed men to the area who raided the house and arrested the suspects.

On seeing the police, the suspects engaged them in a fierce scuffle. One of them tried to snatch a rifle from one of the uniformed men but was overpowered and arrested.

He also disclosed that another tried slashing a police officer but was shot in the foot and handcuffed along with those already arrested and subsequently transferred to Tamale where they will be facing trial.

ACP Appiagyei commended the people of the area for volunteering information leading to the arrest of the miscreants observing that the activities of highway robbers in that part of the region were a source of worry to the service.

He indicated that police were determined to clamp down on the activities of armed robbers within the Bole-Bamboi corridors appealing to the residents to volunteer vital information to the police to help reduce the spate of robbery.

The police chief assured the nation that the identities of informants would be protected explaining that their services were meant to improve the security of all Ghanaians.

Three shot-barrelled guns, 3 cutlasses, 1 pinch bar, a dagger knife and pick-axe were retrieved from the suspects after the arrest and have been deposited at the police headquarters as exhibits.

Meanwhile, efforts have been stepped up to flush out robbers operating in the area who are posing a threat to travellers plying the Wa-Bamboi Highway.

In the last three months, more than five robbery attacks have been reported in the area resulting in the death of about 4 persons though no arrests have been made.