Correspondence from Upper East Region

Over one hundred villagers from Kayoro in the Kassena-Nankana West district have been attacked by armed robbers suspected to be Fulani Herdsmen Friday morning.

The incident happened at Bugani, a spot along the Kayoro- Katiu road.

The robbers blocked the road at that spot for close to three hours and subjected villagers using the stretch to beatings with the butts of their guns and robbed them of money amounting to Ghc50,000, two motorbikes and other valuables.

The villagers were traders and farmers going to do business at the Chiana Market - the biggest market in the Western zone of the district, when the incident happened.

One of the victims and a Teacher, Albert Apuri, recounting the incident in an interview with GhanaWeb’s Senyalah Castro said, the robbers ordered them to lie down on their bellies while they carried out the inhumane act.
He said the robbers, numbering about six, ransacked their pockets, bags, vehicles and other belongings amidst gunshots.

“I left home around 8am this morning, when I got to the bridge I saw that a lot of vehicles were packed. I thought it was an accident so when I got to the scene I realized it was armed robbery. I was ordered to lie down and they took off my bag, took off my mobile phone and took all the money that I had on me”
“The other victims were beaten; their monies were taken. One person, about Ghc36,000 was on him and they took that money. For the others it was Ghc 20,000, Ghc 10,000, Ghc 5,000.”.

“They are gone away with two motorbikes”.

Mr. Apuri said the incident is the first of its kind in the area and has left many of the villagers traumatized.

He said “it’s for the first time. Most of the villagers never knew so when you see you will think that it’s an accident so you will also rush there instead of you returning so a lot of us went through trauma”.



A female victim shaking with fear, who lost over Ghc 1,000, said the robbers inserted fingers in their private parts to remove their monies.

“Holding guns and knives, they ordered us to remove our panties. Some obeyed and removed their panties. But others did not. So they put their fingers in their private parts and removed the money”.

As at the time of filing this report, the incident had been reported to the Chiana Police station and a team of Police personnel dispatched to track down the criminals.

The District Chief Executive (DCE), Gerard Ataogye, was also seen rushing to the area to sympathize with the victims and to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.