Five unidentified armed individuals have attacked and robbed a mobile money vendor at gunpoint in Zongo, a suburb of Tumu in the Sissala East Municipality.
The armed robbers are said to have stolen GH¢600,000.00 along with several mobile phones during the robbery, which occurred on April 22, 2024, at approximately 4:30 pm.
The victim, Mr. Fuseini Issaka Quendar, a 45-year-old businessman, promptly reported the incident to the Sissala East Municipal police command. Recounting the harrowing experience to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Fuseini described how the five assailants, all clad in long black jackets and riding three unregistered motorcycles, brandished AK 47 rifles as they forcibly entered his shop.
Once inside, the robbers coerced Mr. Fuseini and everyone else in the shop to lie down at gunpoint. After collecting the money, they fired shots within the shop and shattered all the glass.
Mr. Fuseini recalled that one of the robbers threatened to shoot him in Mossie language, while others urged him to slit his throat.
“He raised the machete towards my head, but I hid my head under the bench and the cutlass landed on the wooden bench and they left the cutlass in the shop and took off”, he explained.
After the robbery, Mr. Fuseini recounted that the armed men fired several shots into the air before fleeing through the crowded Tumu lorry station, making their escape towards the St. Clares Vocational School along the Gwollu road. It took approximately 15 minutes before people began emerging from their shops and hiding spots.
Mr. Fuseini also mentioned an incident earlier that day, where a young boy of Fulani descent had left his phone at the shop to be charged. However, after the robbery, the boy and his mobile phone were both missing.
When questioned about why he had such a large sum of money in his shop, Mr. Fuseini explained that the money belonged to maize buyers who typically conducted business during the weekend.
“During weekends a lot of people transact business in cash in CFA, Cedis and others across the borders so we only (pick cash) on Friday and use it for the weekend business”, the victim stated.
Following the robbery, Mr. Fuseini reported that he contacted the police, but they took approximately an hour to arrive at the scene. The police have since launched an investigation, taking statements from Mr. Fuseini and urging him to report any further information about the incident. However, no arrests have been made yet.
In a show of solidarity, over 15 mobile money operators in Tumu marched to the Paramount Chief of Tumu’s Palace a day after the robbery, demanding increased security measures. They threatened to cease their services if security in the area was not improved.
This recent incident adds to a series of similar robbery attacks in the region. About six months ago, another daylight robbery occurred on the Navrongo-Wa road, where close to GH¢400,000.00 was stolen. Additionally, three weeks ago, a robbery took place during a market day in Bujan, where traders’ money was stolen. Last year, armed robbers attacked a mobile money vendor in Jefisi, collecting all his money and disrupting the market activities for the day.
Residents of Tumu are concerned about the increasing audacity of the armed men, who now brazenly attack civilians in town centers with AK47 rifles. They fear that such attacks may escalate if not promptly addressed by the authorities.
In response to these incidents, Mr. Fuseini Yakubu Batong, the Sissala East Municipal Chief Executive, stated that an emergency security meeting had been convened to address the situation.