Chaos erupted in Atebubu in the Bono East Region when a group of drivers attacked a local police station following the killing of a 75-year-old driver by suspected armed robbers.
On Friday, January 10, 2025, the drivers stormed the police station after they accused the officers of neglecting their duties.
They complained of the risks to their lives due to the recent escalating number of robbery cases in the area, particularly along the Atebubu-Amantin road.
They lamented that six of their colleagues had been killed in the last six months.
Triggered by the latest incident, which resulted in the brutal murder, the angry drivers attacked the station and damaged a police vehicle, escalating an already volatile situation.
It took the intervention of military personnel to restore order.
However, tensions remain high in the area as the drivers have decided not to transport passengers until the police take more effective action to tackle the robberies in Atebubu.
“We’re going through a lot here in Atebubu. Armed robbers attack us almost every day, even when we’re going to our farms. We don’t understand what the police are doing about it,” one driver cried out.
“We spend most of our time on the road, yet the police do nothing to ensure our safety. The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) seems more focused on stopping us from collecting fines than preventing these attacks. There are over ten police checkpoints along this route, but at night, they abandon their posts, leaving us vulnerable to robberies. We see no benefit from their presence,” another driver angrily said.
Echoing the sentiments of the others, the Atebubu Amantin Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) secretary George Mensah said, “These robbers are bold enough to strike in broad daylight. In the last months, six drivers have been killed. We’ve all agreed that we will not work until something is done to stop this.”