Three Suspected Armed Robbers Killed as Police Intercept Highway Robbery Plot on Anwiankwanta–Obuasi Road
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has successfully foiled a planned highway robbery operation along the Anwiankwanta–Obuasi Highway in the Ashanti Region, leading to the death of three suspected armed robbers and the recovery of several firearms and ammunition.
Addressing the media at a news conference, the Ashanti South Regional Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Joseph Hammond Nyaaba, disclosed that the operation was carried out on 24 December 2025 following credible intelligence received by the police.
According to him, the suspects, identified as Seidu Issah, Musah Yakubu, and Yahaya Munkaila, also known as Tijani, had converged in a bushy area between Anwiankwanta and the Jacobu junction to carry out a planned robbery attack on unsuspecting road users.
DCOP Nyaaba explained that when police officers moved in to intercept the gang, they came under gunfire from the suspects and responded in self-defence. The exchange resulted in the suspects being gunned down, while two other accomplices managed to escape and are currently being pursued by the police.
A search conducted at the scene led to the recovery of two pump-action guns loaded with ammunition, one unbranded pistol, twenty-five (25) live cartridges, and six (6) spent cartridges.
The suspects were rushed to the Bekwai Municipal Hospital for medical attention but were pronounced dead on arrival. Their bodies have since been deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.
The Regional Commander further revealed that preliminary investigations indicate the deceased suspects were part of a notorious robbery gang believed to be behind several violent crimes in the region. These include the Jacobu airport robbery on 3 November 2025, which resulted in the death of a security officer, as well as multiple highway robberies along the Manso stretch, the Antoakrom robbery, the Abofour forest robbery near Offinso, and an attack at Anwiankwanta on 8 December 2025.
He also disclosed that in a follow-up operation on 26 December 2025, police conducted a search at a palm plantation near Manso Nkwanta, believed to be a hideout used by the suspects to conceal their weapons. During the operation, officers recovered one AK-47 assault rifle, one MG3 rifle, one pump-action gun, and one single-barrel gun, together with ammunition and other personal items.
DCOP Joseph Hammond Nyaaba assured the public that strenuous efforts are underway to trace the sources of the weapons and arrest all accomplices currently at large, stressing the Police Service’s commitment to ensuring the safety of road users and maintaining peace and security across the Ashanti South Region.
He further appealed to the public to continue supporting the police with timely and credible information to aid ongoing security operations.
