Four police officers who helped to clamp down on a notorious armed robbery gang terrorising communities in the Upper West Region have been honoured for their exceptional bravery, intelligence and dedication to duty.
The officers are General Sergeant Kwashe Divine Mort, Detective/Sergeant Salifu Ishmeal Allketisiwin, General Corporal Ernest Ameyaw Akunfi and General Corporal John Bekaar Vitus.
In appreciation of the excellent performance of the four officers, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Police Management Board promoted them to their next ranks.
The Upper West Regional Police Commander, DCOP Francis Yiribaare, said the officers had been at the forefront of the coordinated surveillance, intelligence development, and operational response that led to the identification and arrest of members of the robbery gang in August 2026.
He said the syndicate was responsible for a series of violent armed robbery attacks in the Wa West District and Wa Municipality that had created fear and anxiety among residents in communities including Nyoli, Kulmasa, Ga, Kpenateng, Kulkpara, Pissi, Gadi and Chogsia.
"The syndicate had a very violent modus operandi, attacking their victims with machetes and sometimes inflicting serious wounds on them," the police commander said.
The robbers also forced the victims to disclose their mobile money (MoMo) personal identification numbers (PINs) to assist them in transferring money from the victims’ accounts into an account allegedly linked to one of the suspects.
DCOP Yiribaare said investigations so far had revealed that the syndicate robbed victims of GH¢22,070 cash and GH¢3,274 through forced mobile money transfers, making the total loss GH¢25,344.
The suspects were also found to have seven mobile phones, some of which were identified by victims as belonging to them.
The syndicate’s most recent attack at Penateng Junction on August 1, 2026, left a victim seriously injured from machete assaults, he stated, adding that some members arrested during the operations were now facing trial in court.
He, however, indicated that two members of the gang, Haruna, 30, and Amadu Mohamadu, 24, were on the run.
Amadu was said to be the son of Nasir Abdul Rahman, a late member of the robbery gang, while Haruna was said to be the boss of the gang.
DCOP Yiribaare said the police and other security agencies were on the trail of the two suspects.
The Commander said the four officers went “above and beyond the call of duty” and brought great relief to thousands of residents in the affected communities.
He said their work also led to better socio-economic activities and the effectiveness of law enforcement efforts in the region.
“These promotions are intended to inspire the officers and encourage other personnel to emulate their dedication and professionalism,” DCOP Yiribaare said.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozing, presented them with Awards of Honour for their successful role inintelligence-led operations against the syndicate.
The regional minister commended the office’s commitment and professionalism in the fight against violent crime.
He stressed that the war against armed robbery could not be won by the police alone and that it required effective intelligence gathering, strong collaboration among security agencies and public confidence in security institutions.
