Police arrest seven over highway robbery involving council of state member

The Ghana Police Service has arrested seven suspects in connection with a highway robbery involving a Member of the Council of State, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, Esq., has disclosed.

Addressing a press briefing at the CID Headquarters in Accra on Thursday, 29 January 2026, COP Donkor said the arrests form part of intensified, intelligence-led operations aimed at combating robbery and other violent crimes nationwide.

According to her, the suspects—Rashida Yusif; Aaron Abana Baswiefanga; Wilson Avasong; Muntaru Iddrisu, also known as Virgin; Aminu Zebrilla, alias Birdman; Inusah Sumaila, known as Agenda; and Haruna Safiano—were arrested following investigations into a robbery that occurred on 21 July 2025 along the Tamale–Buipe Highway.

COP Donkor explained that the victims were travelling on the highway when they were attacked by six armed men who robbed them of personal belongings, including mobile phones, cash, wristwatches, reading glasses, a laptop, and other items.

She said that on 11 January 2026, based on intelligence gathered by the CID, a team from the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit was deployed to Salaga in the Savannah Region, leading to the arrest of Rashida Yusif.

An iPhone 7 Plus belonging to one of the victims was retrieved from her.

Further investigations led police to a mobile phone shop at Dagomba Line in Salaga, where the shop attendant, Aaron Abana Baswiefanga, was arrested.

He disclosed that the phone had been brought to the shop by his uncle, Wilson Avasong, the shop owner and an environmental officer residing in Tamale. Wilson Avasong was subsequently arrested in Tamale.

COP Donkor noted that during interrogation, Wilson Avasong indicated he had purchased the phone from a phone repairer, Muntaru Iddrisu, also known as Virgin, for GHS1,000.

Police later arrested Muntaru Iddrisu at the Tamale Aboabo Market, where he led officers to Aminu Zebrilla, alias Birdman, a 35-year-old okada rider, who was arrested at Dungu, a suburb of Tamale. Aminu Zebrilla admitted selling the phone to Muntaru Iddrisu for GHS650.

A search conducted in the suspect’s room, COP Donkor said, resulted in the retrieval of several items, including locally manufactured firearms, assorted ammunition, mobile phones, wristwatches, pen drives, a motorbike, SIM cards, and other items believed to have been taken from victims during the robbery.

Further investigations revealed that Aminu Zebrilla is an ex-convict who was previously convicted for robbery in 2012.

Two additional accomplices, Inusah Sumaila, 42, and Haruna Safiano, 32, were later arrested from their hideouts behind the Tamale China Mall.

COP Donkor stated that investigations are ongoing to arrest other suspects believed to be on the run and to retrieve a weapon suspected to be in their possession.

She reaffirmed the Ghana Police Service’s commitment to protecting lives and property and urged the public to continue supporting police operations with credible and timely information.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith and Hawa Abubakar