Four of the five suspects arrested are Nigerian
The Ghana Police Service has announced the arrest of members of a notorious criminal syndicate responsible for the theft of vehicles across the Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region.
In a statement issued on June 23, 2025, the police said that they had arrested five suspects through intelligence linked to the syndicate.
The police indicated that four of the five suspects were Nigerian, with the remaining one being a Ghanaian.
“Over recent months, the police received multiple reports of victims being trailed from financial institutions and having large sums of money stolen from their vehicles while parked. The syndicate, often using Toyota Highlander vehicles with fake registration plates, identified and followed targets before striking.
“Through coordinated intelligence and surveillance by the Police Intelligence Directorate and the Intelligence Video Surveillance (IVS) system, two vehicles used in the crimes were traced. On June 19, 2025, three suspects — Russell Ekenze, Francis Friday, and Linus Agwazie — were arrested. Tools used in the thefts were retrieved from their vehicles. The suspects confessed to multiple incidents and named other accomplices, including Cosmas Maduabuchukwu, who remains at large. Two women, Gifty Onurumbam and Gladys Ibrahim, were also arrested for obstructing investigations,” part of the statement reads.
The police added; “In total, five suspects are in custody and are being arraigned before court. The syndicate is largely composed of Nigerian nationals, with one Ghanaian. Investigations remain ongoing in collaboration with the Greater Ashanti Regional Police Command.”
See the full statement plus pictures of the suspects and some of the cars they stole below:
PRESS RELEASE:
ARREST OF CRIMINAL SYNDICATE INVOLVED IN TARGETED VEHICLE
THEFTS IN KUMASI. pic.twitter.com/fN1sIA1h8O— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) June 23, 2025
— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) June 23, 2025
BAI/AE
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