By Caesar Abagali
Naaga (U/E), Aug. 12, GNA – Residents of Naaga in the Kassena-Nankana East Municipality and people residing along the Sherigu-Naaga road in the Upper East Region are living in fear over rampant armed robbery and killing of innocent persons.
Commuters who ply the Sherigu-Naaga road are the major victims of the unfortunate circumstances as armed robbers constantly snatched their belongings including motorbikes and cash especially at night.
Those who resisted attempts by the robbers are either inflicted with various degrees of injuries or killed.
Naba Olando Ayamga Awini III, the Paramount Chief of the Naaga Traditional Area who revealed these to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, called for enhanced security in the area especially along the Sherigu-Naaga road.
The Paramount Chief explained that the Sherigu-Naaga road was a major route connecting his traditional area to Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital.
He said many people plied the road to access various services such as education, health, social services as well as undertake some economic activities particularly trading at the Bolgatanga market.
He, however, complained that the constant attacks by the armed robbers were creating fear and insecurity among the residents and underscored the urgent need for the security agencies particularly the Ghana Police Service to increase surveillance in the area.
He said some of the culprits of the robberies were mostly connected to Fulani extraction but that the police top command in the past were not doing enough to help address the problem.
He said some of the Fulanis were arrested in connection with some robberies in the area and arraigned before court in Bolgatanga, but they were currently on bail.
“In 2023, three people were shot dead…but those they robbed and discharged are uncountable”, he said stressing, “my own wife has been attacked severally”.
Naba Awini III, therefore, appealed to the Upper East Regional Police Command to increase police checkpoints and tighten security patrols in the area to help address the challenge to protect lives and property.
It would be recalled that in June 2023, some youth of Sherigu besieged the settlements of some Fulanis residing in the area accusing them of being responsible for the rampant robberies in the area especially along the Sherigu-Naaga road.
The situation led to the arrest of some youth by the Upper East Regional Police Command and the action of the police infuriated the youth who allegedly attacked the police and pelted stones at them, damaging their vehicle.
To disperse the rampaging youth, the police fired rubber bullets, injuring about 15 persons, and arresting more than 60.
GNA