Attacks On Bullion Vans: Pay Attention To Okada Riders – Security Consultant Tells Gov’t

Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Security and Counter Terrorism, Emmanuel Kotin has called on the Government of Ghana to take a closer look at motorbike riders in view of their usage in bullion van robberies. 

He suggested that the government should either ban okada riders or restrict their movement in the country.

According to him, most citizens are in fear following a series of attacks on innocent citizens by armed robbers using motorbikes for their thievery activities.

His comments follow the deadly robbery attack on a bullion van leading to the death of a police officer at Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region on Thursday, June 22, 2023.

Mr. Kotin said bullion van robberies have been on the increase in Ghana in recent years.

“Armed robbers are targeting cash-carrying armoured trucks known as bullion vans, which transport money between banks, corporations, and other financial institutions. Robbers frequently use sophisticated techniques and weaponry to carry out these attacks, posing a severe danger to the security of the country’s cash-in-transit activities”.

The safety of bank staff, security officers, and the general public has been called into question as a result of these thefts.

In a statement, Mr Kotin said “The police and other security agencies must move beyond mere pronouncements to action to reject providing security for bullion vans that do not meet the specifications of the Bank of Ghana.

“Since those who engage in robbery acts do not act like rational beings, the government must also use stringent measures to cripple them and guarantee human life and property. We need to add that good laws and policies in themselves are not a panacea to the many problems confronting Ghana as far as security is concerned.”

Below is his full statement.

“Bullion van robberies have been an increasingly prevalent issue in Ghana in recent years. Armed robbers are targeting cash-carrying armoured trucks known as bullion vans, which transport money between banks, corporations, and other financial institutions. Robbers frequently use sophisticated techniques and weaponry to carry out these attacks, posing a severe danger to the security of the country’s cash-in-transit activities”.

“The safety of bank staff, security officers, and the general public has been called into question as a result of these thefts”.

“Therefore, it is apt and succinct to cast a panoramic view of some notable attacks that occurred and led to the death of some security personnel and cash in the country in the past few years. It is significant to recall that, on, Il September 2020, a bank staff was shot dead, and a police officer was wounded in a daylight robbery attack on a bullion van on the manso-Kumasi road in the Ashanti region. Also, in 2020, four armed robbers attacked and robbed a bullion van carrying an unspecified amount from Techiman to Sunyani at gunpoint on the outskirt of a village called Maapehial in the Bono East region. In January 2021, armed robbers attacked a bullion van at Fomena in the Ashanti Region and stole Ghc500,000. The criminals killed a police officer in the process of the robbery. Five suspects were later arrested in connection with the incident. Then, in February 2021, there was another bullion van attack near Kingsway”.

“The following month, March, another one occurred at Baatsona, Spintex the same year. This unfortunate phenomenon seems to be gaining deep roots in the social fabric of Ghanaian society, as the country woke up on 14th June 2021 to yet another tragic news of the death of a young police officer in a bullion van robbery attack in Adedenpo near James town a suburb of Accra”.

“The high incidents of robbery attacks on bullion vans sparked a public uproar, which forced key stakeholders namely the Ghana police services and Bank of Ghana to give grim directives with the hope to make the bullion van attacks and robbery outdated”.

“The Bank of Ghana (BOG) 2021 issued a directive for all financial institutions to procure ‘the protective sophisticated vans, failure to which the Bank of Ghana said it would not admit any substandard or Soft-Skinned Cash in transit (CIT) vehicles into any of its premises nationwide”.

“The Ghana Police Service under the leadership of the IGP issued a similar steeling warning, that he would stop officers from protecting bullion vans if the banks failed to use fortified armoured vehicles by the end of June 2022. However, these directives are just one of the talk shows of our leaders in Ghana, as only 60 vehicles were procured by June 2022, according to Alhaji Iddi Sumaila, the President of the Association of bullion vans. Sad and unfortunate as it may be, the country experienced another gruesome murder of a young police officer in a daylight bullion van robbery attack on 22, June 2023 at Ablekuma Fanmilk, a suburb of Accra”.

“What is unique in all these tragic incidences is, the armed criminals have successfully, executed their heinous crimes using motorcycles, popularly known in the Ghanaian setting as “Okada” The operation of an Okada, however, is illegal in the country. In 2012, the use of motorbikes for commercial transport in Ghana was outlawed under Regulation 128(1-4) of the Road and Traffic Regulation 2012, which states “The Licensing authority shall not register a motorcycle to carry a fare-paying passenger”. Notwithstanding, Okada being outlawed by the existing laws of the country, their operations are rampant”.

“This is because the illegal operation of the Okada has enjoyed green-eyed support from the political class, thus, from both the government and the opposition of our society. The point is that government cannot crack the whip by banning their operations due to political expediency. Some examples are necessary to justify this claim. For, leading to the 2020 elections, the two major parties were divided over the matter. While the NPP campaigned on the promise of introducing taxis on work and payment terms, the NDC and its leader, on the other hand, promised to regulate and legalized Okada operations in Ghana”.

“This is problematic and does not augur well for the development of the country as it compromises the peace and security of the country. As a result of this policy dilemma as being exhibited by the political class, criminals and miscreants can exploit this to their advantage by meandering their way between the traffic to commit heinous crimes using motorbikes”.

“The country is in perpetual fear with these activities coupled with the fact that Ghana has been encircled by the threats of terrorism and violent extremism. As a center for security and counterterrorism, we call on the government to reconsider the Okada issue by streamlining its activities if it cannot be banned”.

“The police and other security agencies must move beyond mere pronouncements to action to reject providing security for bullion vans that do not meet the specifications of the Bank of Ghana. Since those who engage in robbery acts do not act like rational beings, the government must also use stringent measures to cripple them and guarantee human life and property. We need to add that good laws and policies in themselves are not a panacea to the many problems confronting Ghana as far as security is concerned”.

“This is important because of the implementation gaps between law-making and execution. It must be realized that trying to deal with the security challenges of the country from the angle of mere law-making or policy formulation without execution would amount to an attempt to sit on a two-legged stool with eminent disaster”.