The Inspector General of Police (IGP) travelled to the Asawase suburb of Kumasi on Saturday, launching a fact-finding mission after two fatal shootings in less than a week stoked tensions and heightened fears in the Ashanti Region.
The IGP’s visit follows the brazen killing of an unidentified man by two assailants on a motorbike—just days after the high-profile assassination of Alhaji Abdul-Malik Azenbe, the Kusasi Chief of the Ashanti Region. Both killings have rattled the local community and drawn national attention to rising security concerns.
According to police, the most recent victim was gunned down in broad daylight by two unidentified attackers on a motorbike, who fled the scene immediately. Authorities responded by sealing off the area and deploying both police and military personnel. Crime scene investigators are actively processing evidence, officials said.
The earlier killing, on July 22, involved Chief Azenbe, who was shot at his residence near the F-line Community Centre in Asawase. Witnesses say two armed men on a motorbike, one wielding an AK-47-style rifle, opened fire before escaping. The chief was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Local authorities, responding to growing public unrest, have taken emergency measures. The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has instituted a curfew-style restriction, banning the use of motorbikes after 7:00 p.m. in the Asokore Mampong Municipality and Kumasi Metropolis.
The IGP’s presence is intended to assess the security situation firsthand, engage with local leaders, and receive direct briefings from investigators. Police officials say the move signals a strong commitment from national leadership to restore public confidence and ensure accountability in the wake of the violent attacks.
No arrests have been made in either case. Authorities say investigations remain ongoing.
