BY Daniel Bampoe
The Ghana Police Service has intensified its intelligence-led operations against armed robbery and other violent crimes, leading to the arrest of 12 suspects in two separate major robbery cases across the country.
At a press briefing on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the CID Headquarters in Accra, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, outlined the latest breakthroughs, describing them as part of a broader national strategy to protect lives, secure property, and maintain public safety.
According to COP Donkor, the first case involved a highway robbery attack on a Member of the Council of State, an incident that occurred on July 21, 2025, along the Tamale–Buipe Highway.
The victim was travelling when six armed men attacked and robbed him of several personal belongings, including mobile phones, cash, wristwatches, reading glasses, a laptop, and other valuables.
The robbery sparked investigations by the Police Anti-Armed Robbery Unit, which relied on intelligence gathering to track down those behind the crime.
Police arrested seven suspects in connection with the attack.
They were identified as Rashida Yusif, Aaron Abana Baswiefanga, Wilson Avasong, Muntaru Iddrisu, also known as “Virgin,” Aminu Zebrilla, popularly called “Birdman,” Inusah Sumaila, known as “Agenda,” and Haruna Safiano.
The CID Director-General explained that the breakthrough came on January 11, 2026, when a police team was dispatched to Salaga in the Savannah Region following intelligence reports.
Officers arrested Rashida Yusif, who was found in possession of an iPhone 7 Plus belonging to one of the robbery victims. The phone was retrieved as evidence.
Further investigations led police to a mobile phone shop at Dagomba Line in Salaga, where the attendant, Aaron Abana Baswiefanga, was arrested.
He revealed that the phone had been brought to the shop by his uncle, Wilson Avasong, an environmental officer and owner of the shop who resides in Tamale. Wilson Avasong was subsequently arrested in Tamale.
During interrogation, Wilson Avasong told investigators that he had purchased the phone from a phone repairer, Muntaru Iddrisu alias “Virgin,” for GH₵1,000.
Police arrested Muntaru Iddrisu at the Tamale Aboabo Market, and he led officers to Aminu Zebrilla, also called “Birdman,” a 35-year-old Okada rider, who was arrested at Dungu, a suburb of Tamale. Birdman admitted to selling the phone to Muntaru Iddrisu for GH₵650.
A search in Birdman’s room uncovered a cache of weapons and suspected stolen items, including a locally manufactured short gun, a locally made pistol, four live BB cartridges, a sword inscribed with the name “Birdman,” live ammunition including 5.56×44 CZ rounds and revolver ammunition, a face mask, jack knife, suspected Indian hemp, talisman, cutter, catapult, fifteen assorted mobile phones, a jungle motorbike, seventeen wristwatches, five pen drives, and several SIM cards removed from phones believed to have been stolen during robberies.
Police also disclosed that Aminu Zebrilla is an ex-convict who was previously convicted of robbery in 2012. Investigations later led to the arrest of two additional accomplices, Inusah Sumaila alias “Agenda,” aged 42, and Haruna Safiano, aged 32, from hideouts behind the Tamale China Mall.
COP Donkor noted that police are still pursuing other suspects believed to be on the run and are working to retrieve another weapon linked to the gang.
In a second major operation, the Police Service also arrested five suspects connected to a violent robbery attack at Nkaseim in the Ahafo Region.
The suspects were named as Mutar Kofi, Mahamadu Sagio alias “Salifu,” Shaibu Issah Jallo alias “Jibo,” Abdul Suleman, and Bukari Sulley alias “Tailor.”
Police said the robbery occurred on December 2, 2025, when the suspects and their accomplices, armed with weapons, blocked the Goaso–Tepa road and simultaneously attacked the Nkaseim Police Station, the Adwumapa Cocoa Buying Company, the Kobby Gold Buying Company, and the Asutifi Rural Bank area.
During the coordinated assault, the attackers stole two AK47 service rifles and made away with cash sums, including GH₵14,000 from the cocoa buying company and GH₵12,000 from the gold buying company.
The bank was also robbed, and an employee of the cocoa company was shot and injured during the incident.
Following sustained intelligence and forensic investigations, police arrested Mutar Kofi, a 35-year-old commercial tricycle rider, on January 16, 2026, at a location known as “Ata ne Ata” near Nkaseim.
He admitted involvement in the robbery. This arrest led to further operations resulting in the capture of Mahamadu Sagio, a 45-year-old illegal miner and resident of Nkaseim.
Subsequent investigations also led to the arrest of Shaibu Issah Jallo alias “Jibo,” a 28-year-old trader in Chereponi, and Abdul Suleman, a 40-year-old herdsman at Tanga near Karaga in the Northern Region.
On January 25, 2026, police arrested Bukari Sulley alias “Tailor,” a 25-year-old trader in Alaba, Kumasi.
COP Donkor revealed that police are intensifying efforts to arrest the suspected gang leader, identified as Hoyeefi, who is believed to have the stolen weapons and other firearms used in the robbery.
Two other suspects, Dauda and Mohammed Ali, are also currently on the run.
The CID Director-General used the opportunity to urge the public to take personal security seriously, remain vigilant against cyber and online crimes, and avoid sharing sensitive personal or financial information with unknown individuals.
She also advised motorists, especially those driving at night or in isolated areas, to exercise caution, secure their vehicles properly, avoid picking up strangers, and be wary of staged distress signals.
