Police checkpoints along the Tamale, Walewale and Bolgatanga highways have been left deserted, triggering growing unease among road users and communities following the killing of a police officer in the Upper East Region.
The withdrawal comes after a violent attack on a checkpoint at Karimenga on December 28, 2025, which claimed the life of one officer and left two others with serious injuries.
Sources within the Ghana Police Service say the decision to pull personnel from several checkpoints was taken by central command, as officers reassess safety on these routes.
For many residents in northern Ghana, the move has been unsettling. The Tamale Walewale and Bolgatanga highways are not just ordinary roads.
They serve as major arteries for trade, linking communities to markets and connecting Ghana to neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso and Togo.
Every day, traders, commercial drivers and families rely on these routes for their livelihoods and mobility.
Since the checkpoints were removed, concerns have intensified among transport operators and business owners who fear the roads may become easy targets for criminals.
A trader who frequently uses the route described the situation as “deeply worrying, because once the police leave, criminals feel free to operate without fear.
There are also broader economic anxieties. Some transport companies are already considering alternative routes, a move that could increase travel time, fuel costs and insurance premiums.
For small-scale traders, any disruption along these highways could mean delays, losses and higher prices for goods.
So far, the Police Service has not issued an official statement explaining how security will be maintained in the absence of checkpoints or when officers may return.
