The name Johnson Kombian may sound romantic, but the same cannot be said of actions of owner of that name. He is reported to have changed his nickname from Burger to Cross and Die, saying anyone who crossed him must die. Others however refer to him as Nakpanduri Terror.

Johnson Kombian, who terrorized traders and residents around Nakpanduri, Nalerigu, Gambaga and other parts of Northern Ghana has ever broken jail twice in Togo. He has also escaped from the Gambaga Prison and broke jail from the Tamale Prison on two occasions.

His last escape was on January 15, this year when he escaped from the Tamale Prison under mysterious circumstances. At the time of his escape, Kombian was serving a five-year sentence for a previous jailbreak while standing trial for robbery and attempted murder. After his January 15 jailbreak, Johnson Kombian sent a text message to the Upper East Regional Police Commander, ACP Bright Oduro, who was instrumental in his previous arrest. This is the exact text message:

“This is Kombian Soloma. I want you to know that I can always have my way out anywhere. I paid Yakubu Abogrago, an officer, 30 million cedis and promised to give him a car when back at work. He assisted me with tools to use.”

ACP Bright Oduro told me in a GBC Radio that, Kombian also called him on the phone threatening to kill him within three days. He also threatened to kill police officers in the area. The truth or otherwise of Johnson Kombian’s bribery allegation is yet to be established, but true to his word, he carried out the threat.

He did not succeed in killing ACP Bright Oduro, but the Nakpanduri police tasted the bile of his actions. On October 17 this year, Kombian ambushed and shot three police men in Nakpanduri. Two of the men died while the third was seriously injured. A police swoop in Nakpanduri left in its wake destruction of property and alleged human rights abuses. Speaking on GBC Radio after Johnson Kombian’s arrest, the immediate past Northern Regional Police Commander, ACP Agwubutoge Awuni said despite excesses, the Nakpanduri police operation proved very useful because it targeted those believed to be shielding Kombian in Nakpanduri. After his hideout in Nakpanduri was threatened and destroyed, the criminal had to flee to Togo.

Kombian was said to have had information about the police operation two clear days before it was launched. This seemed to have confirmed allegations by the Chief of Nakpanduri that the criminal has links within the security agencies in the country.

The Ghana Police Service said it was collaborating with the Togolese and Burkinabe police to track him down. As if fated, Kombian was arrested at the time one of the police officers he had killed was being buried.

After breaking jail on five occasions and wrecking havoc on society, many people are wondering what will be done this time round to tame Johnson Kombian forever. The name given to Kombian at birth is Gulkuun, which means “Ready to die.” The critical question is: Will Johnson Gulkuun Soloma Kombian, alias Burger or Cross and Die, be put to death?

But there are even more critical questions Ghanaians must ask. It is unfortunate that because we “hate” and seem not to appreciate our police, we heap everything on them even if they are not to blame. Johnson Kombian has never escaped in police custody, but from prisons custody in all his three escapes in Ghana.
Who are his agents within the Prisons Service? Who is Yakubu Abogrago? And where is he? Kombian has confirmed the text message he sent to ACP Bright Oduro, saying he will be able to identify the officer who helped him to escape. A committee constituted to investigate Kombian’s escape came out with findings that were enough to send some prison officers to jail. But the Prisons Service downplayed the report.

Listening to PRO of the Ghana Prisons Service on GBC Radio, I imploded with anger when he said what caused Kombian to escape was due to negligence of duty. After criminal was allowed to walk through the prison gate on three occasions, you call it negligence?

Some politicians in Northern Ghana have also been accused of being close associates of Johnson Kombian and his gang of criminals. The Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo constituency, Duut Emmanuel Kwame, has denied allegation that he received funding from the Johnson Kombian during his campaign. He told Citi FM those allegations were funny. The MP also refuted allegations that he initiated Kombian’s escape from jail and that he is a relative of Johnson Kombian’s accomplice, Jato, alias Job.

But I don’t think it must end there. If Kombian really paid that sum of money to be released, there must at least be someone who did the arrangement while Kombian was in jail. He could not keep that money in jail. The MP is not the only person in the area who has been accused.

Mr. Philip Larry was the Northern Regional Commander of the Ghana Prisons Service when Johnson Kombian escaped from the Tamale Prison. When he retired from the Prison Service after Kombian’s escape, he was made the District Chief Executive of the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District, where he and Johnson Kombian hail from. Mr. Phillip Larry was sworn in as DCE on Friday October 15 this year and on Sunday October 17, Johnson Kombian struck and killed the two policemen and wounded another. And there were allegations that as the Chairman of the District Security Council, DISEC, Mr. Larry did not show concern after the shooting of the police officers and that Kombian knew of the police operations two days before it was carried out.
This is, however, not enough to implicate Mr. Phillip Larry. It is possible all the incidents are just coincidental but for truth to be revealed and for images MP and DCE to be cleared I call on Ghana Police Service to launch fresh and proper investigations into the escape of Johnson Kombian.

Besides, his text message and his allegation after his arrest indicate there was foul play. Johnson Kombian must not be killed though that was the initial reaction of many when they first learnt of his arrest. He is an asset to the police and can assist in bringing others to book, and perhaps clear those being fingered for aiding his activities and escape.

Let us always remember he who does not punish a crime commands it to be done., Johnson Kombian, like any other criminal, “can always have [his] way out anywhere” if people who aid their activities are left untouched.

Credit: Manasseh Azure Awuni [www.maxighana.com] azureachebe2@yahoo.com The Writer is a freelance journalist based in Accra. To read more of his writings visit: ww.maxighana.com