Five picked up over Nkasem robbery as CID tightens dragnet for rifles and ringleader

The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), COP Lydia Donkor, has confirmed the arrest of five suspects in connection with the violent robbery attack at Nkasem in the Ahafo Region, saying the breakthrough followed weeks of intelligence-led surveillance backed by forensic work.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, January 29, she said the arrests are linked to the December 2, 2025 operation in which armed assailants allegedly mounted coordinated attacks across Nkasem after blocking the Goaso–Tepa Road. 

Police say the group struck the Nkasem Police Station and also targeted nearby commercial points, including Adwumapa Cocoa Buying Company, Kobby Gold Buying Company and the Asutifi Rural Bank area. During the attack, the assailants reportedly escaped with two AK-47 service rifles and made away with cash, including GH¢14,000 from the cocoa buying company and GH¢12,000 from the gold buying company, while one employee of Adwumapa was shot and injured.

COP Donkor said the first arrest was Mutara Kofi, a 35-year-old commercial tricycle rider, who was picked up on January 16 at a location known as Atta ne Atta near Nkasem. 

According to her, the suspect admitted involvement in the robbery, and subsequent investigations led to the arrest of additional suspects, including Muhammadu Sadio, a 45-year-old illegal miner and resident of Nkasem; Shaibu Issah Jalo, also known as Jibo, a 28-year-old trader based in Chereponi; and Abdul Suleiman, a 40-year-old herdsman at Tanga near Karaga in the Northern Region. She added that another suspect, Bukari Sule, also called Tailor, a 25-year-old trader in Alaba, Kumasi, was arrested on January 25.

While announcing the arrests, COP Donkor said the Police Service is intensifying efforts to apprehend the suspected gang leader, who is believed to be holding the stolen AK-47 rifles and other firearms used in the attack. She added that two other suspects, identified as Dauda and Mohammed Ali, are still at large.

Beyond the case itself, the CID Director-General urged the public to take personal security more seriously and to remain vigilant against cyber-related crime, warning people to be cautious on social media and avoid sharing sensitive personal or financial information with unknown individuals. She also advised motorists, particularly those involved in vehicle sales, to stay alert at night or in isolated areas, secure their vehicles properly, and be wary of suspicious distress signals that could be set up as traps.