The Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno has called for heightened security measures and constant vigilance following two high-profile killings in the Ashanti Region that have alarmed both residents and security Officers.
Speaking during a fact-finding visit to the region on Saturday,July 26 the IGP urged officers to remain alert “day and night” amid concerns that criminal actors are shifting tactics in response to law enforcement efforts.
“You have to be vigilant at all times,” Mr. Yohuno told officers stationed in the region. “When they realize one method didn’t work, they can switch to a tricycle or vehicle to commit the same crime. If an offense can occur in the day, it can also happen at night.”
The call to action follows a pair of shootings in Asawase, a suburb of Kumasi, including the daylight killing of an unidentified man at Sabon Zongo on Friday. The victim was shot by two men on a motorbike, in an attack that bore striking similarities to the July 22 assassination of Abdul-Malik Azenbe, the Kusasi Chief of the Ashanti Region and the Kadi Divisional Area in Binduri. Azenbe was shot near his residence by gunmen—one reportedly armed with an AK-47—also riding a motorbike.
The two killings have sparked fears of a coordinated pattern of targeted violence, and authorities have not ruled out possible connections between the incidents. While investigations are ongoing, the Ghana Police Service has significantly increased its presence in the region, deploying police and military personnel to maintain order and gather forensic evidence.
In response to the attacks, the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has imposed a nighttime curfew on motorbike use in key jurisdictions, including the Asokore Mampong Municipality and the greater Kumasi Metropolis. The ban, which took effect immediately, restricts motorbike operations after 7:00 p.m.
The twin incidents have rattled communities in the Ashanti Region and cast a spotlight on broader security challenges in urban centers. The Police Service said it is intensifying intelligence operations and patrols, with the IGP pledging a coordinated effort to bring those responsible to justice.
