Police have launched a manhunt after a series of coordinated armed robberies in the town of Nkaseim in the Ahafo Region, during which gunmen attacked a police station, freed a detainee, and looted several businesses.
The Ghana Police Service says at least two suspects have been arrested, while others remain at large following what it called a “well-planned, connected and violent operation” on Monday evening.
The robbers, estimated to number about a dozen, first stormed the Nkaseim Police Station around 5pm, overpowering officers on duty and seizing two police rifles.
According to police, the gang also freed a detained suspect before escaping in pickup trucks and motorbikes.
Shortly after the police station assault, the same group is believed to have raided a gold-buying company, a cocoa purchasing depot, a mobile money vendor, and the Asutifi Rural Bank in the town.
Eyewitnesses said heavy gunfire rang out across Nkaseim as the attackers moved between locations, looting cash and valuables.
One civilian was shot in the thigh and treated at St Elizabeth Hospital in nearby Hwidiem.
Police say the robbers escaped with an unspecified amount of money, gold, and other items.
Ahafo Regional Police Commander ACP Charles Gyamfi said a joint police and military task force had been deployed to pursue the suspects.
“Two members of the group are in custody, and intelligence operations are ongoing to arrest the rest,” he told reporters.
“We will not relent until all are brought to justice.”
A special anti-robbery squad from Accra has also joined the investigation, combing nearby forested areas and road corridors believed to be escape routes.
Residents of Nkaseim say they are living in fear after the string of attacks, which some described as the most violent in the town’s history.
“We heard gunshots everywhere — people were running for their lives,” one local trader said. “The robbers were bold; they even attacked the police station first.”
Community leaders have appealed for increased security presence and better protection for rural banking and cocoa-buying operations, which often handle large sums of cash.
Nkaseim, located in the Asutifi South District, is a small but economically active town surrounded by cocoa farms and small-scale gold-buying firms.
Security analysts say its combination of cash-based businesses and limited police logistics makes it a soft target for organised crime.
The Ghana Police Service has vowed to recover the stolen weapons and prosecute all those involved.
“We assure the public that every member of this robbery syndicate will be identified, arrested and prosecuted,” the police statement said.
