Ghana Security Agencies Intensify Crackdown on Highway Robberies and Narcotics Trade

Police Apprehend Three Suspects in GH¢100,000 Yendi Kidnapping as Crime Crackdowns Intensify Nationwide

The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the kidnapping of Ayuba Sumiya Mawudu near Yendi, an incident that has highlighted a worrying trend of kidnapping-for-ransom in the region. The suspects, identified as Mahumudu Abdulai, 32, Ganiu Sumaila, 32, and Abdulai Salam, 28, were apprehended in Sang, Mion District, on September 29, 2026. Their arrest follows the abduction of Mawudu, also known as Haruna, from his residence in Dobini Bunban on September 25 by armed men who subsequently demanded a ransom of GH¢100,000 for his release. According to police reports, the victim managed to escape from his captors with the assistance of local farmers who found him and helped him reach a health facility. Mawudu later played a crucial role in the investigation by identifying the suspects from police photographs. Preliminary investigations suggest that the three suspects are not only linked to this kidnapping but may also be involved in a series of robberies across the Northern Region. Security experts have noted that the Yendi-Mion-Bimbilla corridor has become increasingly volatile, with organized criminal groups employing firearms and demanding substantial sums of money. In a parallel effort to curb criminal activity elsewhere in the country, police in Kasoa intercepted a Voxy minibus carrying suspected narcotics, leading to the arrest of Asando Asankiba and Beatrice Amegashie. Asankiba reportedly confessed to receiving six yellow-wrapped parcels labeled "Green Gold" and other substances from Amegashie for delivery to Tarkwa. A subsequent search of Amegashie’s residence uncovered further stashes of dried leaves and a whitish substance believed to be illegal drugs. Both individuals remain in custody as the investigation continues to trace the wider network of the drug trade. Further north in the Ahafo Region, the Asutifi North District Police have also ramped up operations, arresting seven suspects during a night raid in Kenyasi. Superintendent Harold Yamoah Ponkor, who led the operation, confirmed the seizure of several unregistered motorbikes and the dismantling of criminal hideouts linked to drug peddling. These coordinated efforts across different regions signal an intensified commitment by the Ghana Police Service to enhance visibility and dismantle organized crime syndicates. Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies to maintain national security.