Suspected robbers ambush police during investigation to retrieve buried illegal weapons; Police gun down 2 during shootout
The police have killed two suspected armed robbers who led them to a site at Yizesi, near Fumbisi in the Upper East Region, to retrieve weapons hidden underground only to be fired upon by unknown persons in nearby bushes.
The two - Sumaila Munkaila and Umaro Musah, who the police said had attempted to escape, had sustained injuries when the police repelled the attack.
They were taken to the hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.
Following the shootout, the team proceeded with the search and recovered one CZ805 assault rifle marked CO74258 loaded and ready with 14 rounds of 5.56x39mm ammunition, one AK 47 assault rifle loaded and ready with 28 rounds of 7.62x39mm with additional 28 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition, totaling 56 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition, one pump action gun with six (6) rounds of “BB” cartridges and one single barrel gun, concealed in sacks and buried underground.
A police situational report, a copy of which has been seen by Graphic Online said four jacket attires were also recovered "and the same were identified by the suspects as the attire they used to commit the robberies".
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command had gathered intelligence on suspect Sumaila Munkaila, alias Guda, as a wanted man in connection with a series of roadblock robberies along the Obuasi and Manso–Nyinahin stretch in the Ashanti Region, and was believed to be hiding in Tamale in the Northern Region.
"An intelligence-led operation was conducted on 25/04/2026 at Tamale, led by senior officer and other ranks. About 20:55 hours, at Vitin in Tamale, suspect Sumaila Munkaila, alias Guda, aged 37, was arrested. During interrogation, he admitted to the offences and other robberies, including the attack on the convoy of Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam, the Chiana-Pio, on 20/07/2025, The Buipe–Tamale stretch roadblock robbery on 21/04/2026 and the Yizesi–Fumbisi roadblock robbery on 22/04/2026," it said.
The report said he further implicated Umaro Musah, Tongude, Sumaila, and Berra, all believed to be Fulani indigenes.
Consequently, the police said the suspect led the police to arrest Umaro Musah at Savelugu at about 23:30 hours the same day.
It said both suspects indicated that their weapons had been concealed underground in a bush at Yizesi, near Fumbisi in the Upper East Region, claiming they buried the weapons after the Yizesi–Fumbisi robbery.
"On 26/04/2026, the team continued with the exercise. Both suspects led police to the said location at Yizesi for retrieval of the weapons. During the search, unknown persons opened fire from within the bush, and the suspects attempted to escape through the bush," it said.
The report explained that the police team returned fire in self-defence, during which both suspects, Sumaila Munkaila and Umaro Musah, sustained gunshot injuries.
"In the process, an officer also sustained minor injury and is currently receiving treatment. The other suspect ... believed to have sustained gunshot wounds managed to escape.
"The injured suspects were rushed to the Tamale Government Hospital for medical treatment but were pronounced dead on arrival by the medical officer on duty.
Investigations are ongoing, and efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining accomplices to face justice.
