Former President John Mahama has condemned the recent killing of a London-based MTA International journalist, Syed Taaley Ahmed Sahib, on the Tamale-Buipe road by armed robbers.
The journalist, who was in Ghana working on a documentary assessing Ghana’s peace and security, met his untimely death when the vehicle he was travelling on, Toyota Hiace, was accosted by some unknown gunmen at about 7p.m. on August 23, 2021, around Mpaha Junction.
The gun-wielding men emerged from a nearby bush and opened fire on Mr Sahib and his colleague, Umaru Abdul Hakim, by deflating the tyres of the vehicle bringing it to a halt before firing at their vehicle.
The London-based MTA International crew were hit by bullets from the guns of the criminals, who made away with gadgets like phones and unspecified amounts.
In a statement issued in Accra, former President Mahama stated that it was truly ironic a journalist working on a documentary on peace and security should die from a highway robbery, which had become symptomatic of the violent crime currently consuming the country.
It said the now rampant criminal activities of armed robbers in thenorthern parts of the country were a cause for concern, as they were fast becoming daily occurrences and in recent times, the armed robbers had become emboldened in not only terrorising road users in the night but in daytime as well.
“During my recent thank you tour in the five regions in the north, I met with the chiefs and people where they mentioned insecurity on the highways as one of the problems and challenges they are facing. I will call upon President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to urgently address the worrying development,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, some four persons are currently in police custody for their alleged involvement in some robbery and murder cases on the Kintampo-Buipe-Tamale highway.
They are Saaju Bukari, Bertor Saabi, Ali Amadi and Isaad Seidu, who were arrested following an intelligence-led operation conducted by the Special Anti-Robbery Task Force.
The operation also resulted in the killing of two robbers when they exchanged gunshots with the Police Intelligence and Operational Team.
Preliminary investigations suggested the suspects were behind many robberies including the killing of an international journalist. –ghanaweb.com
