I bring you greetings from my village, Guo. I write this article with uncontrollable tears flowing from my eyes and this article may be my last article for the year 2019. I wish I could hold back my ink for now but the canker of armed robbery in the Nandom constituency is at its apex and needs serious attention. Of course, some of my readers may have different opinions about this piece but your views may not reflect the true picture on the grounds. The ground is terrifically worried and afraid of this canker.

The spate of armed robbery in the Nandom district in the Upper West Region of Ghana is very worrying. The act has reached its crescendo and natives who stay in the district are living in perpetual fear and panic. The robbery in the district has now been extended to local stores in the villages.


On 26th December 2019 early dawn, a local store at Guo was robbed by two-member robbers. An old lady and the wife of the store owner together with four kids were in the store at that time, sewing Christmas and new year clothing while selling their items.

According to one of the victims, they were seated and a young man entered the store as if he was coming to buy something. Having entered the store, the young man removed a gun from his pocket and ordered them to lie down. He again warned them to keep mute else they will be shot dead. The old lady who has never experienced or even witnessed something like that wanted to hesitate the orders when she was asked to show them where the money was but was slapped with the handle of the gun at her cheek. She was knocked and booted down by the other robber while the other one was also handling the poor young lady.

According to one of the victims, both robbers were holding guns. After the old lady and the young lady were kicked down, one of the robbers searched the store and picked all the money they made on Christmas day till that time, an amount they could not tell. While all the kicking and knocking was ongoing, according to the victim, the four children were hiding behind a fridge that was in the store. So, they were not sighted by the robbers.

The robbers according to the victim, gave warning shots twice and that left the zinc perforated. As I write this article, the gunshot perforated hole in the zinc is still there as a living testimony.

The victim said that the robbers quickly went out and picked their motorbike that was parked under a mango tree and fled. The old lady said that she has been traumatised having gone through that torture. She added that she has been living in perpetual fear and panic that gives her sleepless night. She doesn't even have the appetite to eat food.



The entire community is tensed up and the people are unable to go about their businesses and daily activities freely and peacefully. Natives who have come home will realise that people sleep very early and wake up late in the morning. One will not be far from right if one says that part of Nandom is experiencing an unusual curfew imposed by armed robbers.

Again, on the 19th December 2019, people travelling from Wa to Nandom were attacked at Yezu Tang (Jesus' mountain), a holy mountain in the area by armed robbers. According to one of the victims, about three commercial vehicles carrying passengers, a private car, motorbikes and even bicycle riders were completely robbed and beaten mercilessly. Let me remind you that I have published a robbery case that happened at the same Yezu Tanga where carriers of the mortal remains of a traditional chief were robbed and tortured.

I want to use this opportunity to make a clarion call on duty bearers to adequately equip our police officers with patrol cars and fuel so that they can always patrol the district and deal with these robbers. I believe that when this is done, natives will be able to go about their businesses freely and peacefully.