The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has instructed security personnel at various checkpoints in Asawase to conduct thorough searches of all vehicles, including tricycles, to prevent any potential attacks in the area. Following the Regional Security Council’s (REGSEC) ban on motorbikes after 7 p.m., implemented after the recent killings of two individuals on separate occasions, he expressed concerns that violent individuals might turn to tricycles and other vehicles to carry out their criminal activities.
If they realize that one strategy is no longer effective, especially after the ban on motorbikes, they may resort to using tricycles and other vehicles to evade security and continue their nefarious acts,” he stated.
Fact-finding visit
Mr. Yohuno made these remarks while leading members of the Police Management Board (POMAG) on a fact-finding visit to Asawase in the Ashanti Region last Saturday, following recent killings in the area. The team visited the two crime scenes where the shootings occurred, as well as various checkpoints set up after the incidents, to engage with officers and community members. The purpose of the visit was to reassure the residents of their ongoing safety despite the violent events.
Naa Abdul-Malik Azenbe, the Kusasi Chief in the Ashanti Region, was shot dead by unknown assailants in a Kumasi suburb on the night of Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Until his death, he also served as the Kaadi Divisional Area Chief in the Binduri District of the Upper East Region. Eyewitnesses reported that the unidentified gunmen, each riding a motorbike, approached the chief and shot him at close range before fleeing the scene.
Additionally, last Friday, another man was shot dead in broad daylight in Sabon Zongo, also in Asawase, marking the second fatal shooting in the area within a week. This incident occurred just as the yet-to-be-identified man was about to enter his vehicle near OTEC FM, close to the Manhyia roundabout.
No arrests have been made so far.
No stone unturned
The IGP urged the officers to leave no stone unturned and instructed them to thoroughly search motorbikes to prevent the transfer of weapons within the area. You can realise that one of the killings occurred during the night after 8 p.m., and the other in broad daylight. This shows you that anything can happen at any time, and, therefore, you must be vigilant at all times,” Mr Yohuno told the officers.
He urged the personnel to maintain a high level of agility at all times to prevent any attack on unsuspecting members of the public, emphasising that there must be zero tolerance for the use of weapons against the personnel. While commending the officers on the grounds for their efforts, Mr Yohuno assured the residents that the police administration was committed to ensuring that Asawase and Kumasi remained safe so that people could go about their activities without fear.
“We will not allow criminal elements to destabilise the peace in the region as such a situation tends to scare people away, especially investors, from coming into the region to do business,” he said.
REGSEC’s ban
The Ashanti REGSEC banned motorbikes after 7:00 p.m. and suspended an inter-tribal football competition following the incidents. At its emergency meeting held on Wednesday, July 24, 2025, the REGSEC banned the riding of unlicensed motorbikes or those without functioning lights. Additionally, REGSEC has deployed joint police and military patrols to hotspots to ensure peace and safeguard lives and property.
“The REGSEC assures the general public of the government’s unwavering commitment to maintaining law and order and fostering a peaceful society. All necessary measures are being implemented to bring the perpetrators of this heinous acts to justice,” the statement signed by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, said.
Writer’s email: gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh.
