12 times armed robbers ambushed commuters on highways

Story By Grace Tsotsoo Quaye On August 19, 2025, 6:00 AM

As highways serve as crucial arteries for safe and efficient travel, a sinister threat has emerged, casting a shadow over these vital routes, with ambush robberies.

Recent events paint a stark picture of the dangers lurking along our roads.

Since the beginning of 2025, reports indicate more than ten highway robbery cases across the nation.

Drivers and passengers have often found themselves targeted in road construction zones at night.

Tragically, individuals have lost their lives, suffered severe physical injuries, and faced deep emotional scars due to these brazen attacks.

One particularly harrowing incident involved the ruthless killing of a man, leaving his son injured, along the Bole-Bamboi highway near Taselema.

There have also been reports of female passengers suffering sexual violence during these robberies, sparking calls for action to reclaim the safety of our roads.

In light of this alarming trend, The Ghana Report shines a spotlight on recent highway attacks that have shattered families and communities alike.

Driver shot and killed on Ntotroso-Sunyani Highway

A driver was sadly shot and killed on the Ntotroso-Sunyani Highway in the Bono Region on Friday, June 13, 2025, while he was transporting passengers from Sunyani to Bibiani in a Ford vehicle.

According to Mr. Richard Adu, the Assemblyman for the Atronie Electoral Area, the driver was shot in the head.

Some residents speaking in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report on Adom News said the Ntotroso-Sunyani road, which links the Ahafo and Bono Regions, has become a hotspot for highway robbers due to the poor nature of the road.

Highway robbers shoot the tipper truck driver in the eye

A tipper truck driver was also shot in the eye by armed robbers during an operation at Gomoa Potsin on the Kasoa-Winneba Highway in the Central Region.

The victim, an employee of Nag Fairmount Construction, was on duty when the attack took place.

Gomoa Dominase District Police Commander, ASP Richard Ahiagbor, confirmed the incident, stating that it was part of an alarming increase in similar crimes in the area.

Speaking at a stakeholder meeting on June 10, 2025, ASP Ahiagbor reported that there have been over four robbery incidents in just the past week.

Some residents speaking in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report indicated that the robbers are exploiting the ongoing road construction along the highway to execute their attacks.

Father killed, son injured in Taselema robbery

A man was shot and killed in a ruthless armed robbery attack along the Bole-Bamboi highway near Taselema.

His son, in his 20s, also sustained severe injuries following the shooting incident.

The father, Balenbogma, who was in his 50s, and his son were travelling from Sunyani to Lawra to attend the burial of their late mother.

However, what was meant to be a solemn journey became a scene of terror around 6:30 p.m., when the robbers struck.

Commercial drivers who witnessed the ambush managed to escape and shared their harrowing experiences.

They said the robbers regularly exploit the deteriorating road to stage such attacks, leaving both travellers and locals vulnerable.

Council of state member survives highway robbery

A member of Ghana’s Council of State narrowly escaped harm after his convoy came under attack on the Buipe–Tamale highway last Sunday, July 20, 2025.

The brazen robbery, carried out by a group of armed men, left the official and his entourage shaken as the attackers made away with valuables and a high-powered rifle.

Pe Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam III, the Chiana-Pio and representative for the Upper East Region, was returning from the Northern Development Conference in Tamale when the incident occurred near Mile 40.

Around 5:00 p.m., the Buipe Police received a distress call and sent out a highway patrol team, but by the time officers arrived, the assailants had vanished.

According to a police bodyguard travelling with the chief, approximately 15 armed men, some masked, blocked the road and opened fire.

He tried to return fire using his sidearm, but it jammed, forcing him to seek cover in nearby bushes. He later discovered that his CZ assault rifle had been stolen from the vehicle.

The attackers also took a range of valuables, including two iPhones, a Samsung phone, GHS 41,000, $200, CFA 3,000, a Lenovo laptop, a smartwatch, and personal items belonging to the chief and his driver, Jacob Apanyina, who was also robbed of GHS 800 and an iPhone 11.

No injuries were reported.

Police arrest 4 suspected highway robbers at Potsin

In June 2025, the police apprehended four suspected armed robbers at Potsin in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region following a violent robbery attack on the Winneba Highway.

The suspects in question reportedly ambushed vehicles and robbed commuters of cash and personal belongings around 11 pm on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

According to the police, the robbers initially fled the scene upon learning that police officers from the Central East Regional Police Command’s anti-robbery unit were on their way.

However, the robbers returned around 1:00 am to resume their operation, unaware that police were still patrolling the area.

The police immediately arrested four individuals believed to be involved in the attack.

They are currently in custody and assisting with ongoing investigations.

Police disrupt robbery attempt on Tutuka-Akrofuom road

A swift response by the Obuasi Divisional Police Command stopped a robbery attempt in its tracks along the Tutuka-Akrofuom road, providing some relief to residents concerned about rising roadside attacks.

The attempted robbery was foiled when police received a distress call, acted immediately and arrived at the scene to confront the suspects.

A tense pursuit followed, leading officers through nearby bush paths where the gang tried to escape.

One suspect, identified as Pascal Yenkye, was captured during the chase.

According to police, Yenkye suffered a leg injury while fleeing on a motorbike and is currently receiving treatment under strict police watch.

Two unregistered motorbikes and a machete were left behind by the suspects during the escape, raising concerns about the group’s preparedness and intent.

Though Yenkye is now in custody, several other suspects managed to get away and an extensive search operation is currently underway to track them down.

Police say this is part of a larger strategy to clamp down on violent crime and keep roads safe, especially in vulnerable communities.

Ex-convict nabbed over violent taxi robbery in Accra

Vincent Gbetorglo, a former convict, has been arrested in connection with a brutal robbery and carjacking that left a taxi driver traumatised on New Year’s Day.

The arrest happened on July 30, 2025, at the Accra Mall, after police received credible intelligence on his whereabouts.

Officers found four mobile phones in Gbetorglo’s possession, one of which belonged to Vic Martin Obeng, the victim of the robbery.

Obeng, a hardworking taxi driver, filed a report at the CID Headquarters on January 6. He described a terrifying encounter on January 1 around 9:00 p.m. after picking up three passengers at Madina Zongo Junction.

“It was just another fare until they suddenly attacked me,” Obeng said. “They used my own shirt to blindfold me and tied me up inside the car.”

The attackers took over the ash-and-yellow Toyota Corolla taxi and forced Obeng to lie face down in the back.

They stole his mobile phone, daily earnings, and over GHC 13,000 in mobile money. He was later abandoned near Westland.

Thanks to swift investigative work and support from informants, police launched a manhunt that led to Gbetorglo’s capture. He claimed he bought the phones at Kwame Nkrumah Circle but failed to identify the seller.

Atebubu: Two robbery suspects killed in a shootout with Police

The Ghana Police Service has confirmed the death of two suspected robbers following a shootout during an anti-robbery operation along the Atebubu highway in the Bono East Region.

According to preliminary investigations, the incident occurred on July 30, 2025, when a police patrol team encountered a robbery in progress targeting commuters on the highway.

Upon spotting the police, the suspects opened fire, prompting officers to return fire. Two of the suspects sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival. The remaining suspects fled into nearby bushes.

In a statement posted on Facebook on August 2, the Police said a search of the scene led to the recovery of a short gun loaded with two live cartridges, four spent cartridges, and a machete.

The Ghana Police Service said an intensive search was underway to apprehend the suspects.

3 arrested in daylight robbery near Shama junction

The Western Regional Police Command arrested three suspects in connection with a daring daylight robbery that took place on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, near Shama Junction in Nyanikrom.

According to an official police statement, the arrests followed a targeted surveillance operation based on credible intelligence.

Investigators had received information suggesting that a group, possibly aided by an insider, was planning to ambush company officials transporting cash for salary payments.

At around 12:00 p.m. on the day of the robbery, staff of an unnamed company withdrew a substantial amount of money from a bank in Takoradi.

While returning to their office, their vehicle was intercepted near Unique School Junction in Nyanikrom by armed men using a motorbike and an unregistered saloon car.

The attackers reportedly smashed the vehicle’s window, seized the cash, and fled the scene.

Thanks to a swift response by police officers deployed as part of the intelligence-led operation, three suspects were arrested shortly after the robbery.

The entire stolen amount of GH¢149,500 was successfully recovered.

Young man shot dead in armed robbery attack on Yeji-Kumasi highway

A livestock trader lost his life after being shot in an armed robbery along the Yeji-Kumasi highway in Ghana’s Bono East Region.

The incident occurred around 6:30 pm on Sunday, July 6, 2025, at Domeabra near Yeji in the Pru East District. Eyewitnesses say the robbers signalled a vehicle to stop and opened fire as the driver slowed down.

The bullet struck the young trader near his jaw, killing him instantly.

Passengers aboard the vehicle were forced to lie face down on the road while the attackers snatched their belongings. The suspects then disappeared into a nearby bush before police arrived.

The gruesome attack reignited concerns over the rising spate of highway robberies in the area. Residents say local police are under-resourced and slow to respond, making travellers vulnerable.

Four injured in Buduatta highway robbery, suspect nabbed

A gang of armed robbers ambushed a commercial Toyota Hiace minibus at Buduatta Junction on July 5, 2025.

The attackers reportedly blocked the Kasoa-Winneba Highway and opened fire when the driver attempted to stop, leaving four people with gunshot injuries.

Police responded quickly, with officers from the Formed Police Unit and Kasoa SWAT team arriving to secure the scene and assist victims.

Authorities believed the incident was part of a disturbing pattern of robberies targeting commuters in the Gomoa East District, with previous attacks occurring at Potsin and Okyereko Junctions.

Increased patrols in those areas may have pushed the criminals to relocate their operations.

While returning from the rescue, officers encountered two individuals near the Onion Market.

One suspect fled, but the other was apprehended.

A search revealed three phones belonging to the victims in his possession, and he was identified by both passengers and the driver.

Police foil armed robbery attempts on Kumasi – Bibiani Highway

The Nkawie Divisional Police Patrol Team, on the evening of June 2, 2025, successfully thwarted an armed robbery attempt targeting passengers aboard two sprinter buses on the Kumasi–Bibiani highway.

A press statement issued by the Ashanti Regional Police Command said five armed assailants, brandishing a pump-action shotgun, intercepted the two vehicles at gunpoint and were in the process of robbing the passengers.

The statement, signed by DSP Godwin Ahianyo of the Public Affairs Unit, said the prompt arrival of the patrol team disrupted the nefarious act, and upon perceiving the police presence, the suspect, wielding the pump-action weapon, opened fire on the police officers.

The officers responded with alacrity, returning fire and fatally wounding one of the assailants, who was later pronounced dead by a medical officer at the Afari Government Hospital.

The remaining four suspects fled the scene and are presently at large.

Source The Ghana Report