A suspect involved in a brazen mobile money robbery in Bunkpurugu, North East Region, has been remanded into police custody by the Nalerigu District Court.
The North-East Regional chapter of the Ghana Police Service, in a statment, noted that the suspect, identified as Waliu Fazazi, was arraigned before the court on Friday, 25th April 2025, following his arrest in connection with the armed robbery incident which took place on 23rd April 2025.
According to the statement issued by the Regional Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Fazazi, together with other accomplices who are currently at large, orchestrated an attack on a mobile money vendor in Bunkpurugu, making away with an amount of GHC300,000.00.
The police described the incident as a calculated operation, executed under the guise of a legitimate mobile money transaction.
“Investigations established that the accused approached the Mobile Money vendor under the pretext of withdrawing GHC15,000.00, which he claimed was being sent by his brother but delayed due to network issues.
“During the process, two masked men, one of whom was armed, emerged and demanded the vendor’s bag containing the cash. They subsequently fired warning shots and fled the scene on a motorbike.”
Ghana Police Service, North-East Region
According to the police’s statement, the swift nature of the attack left little time for any intervention, and the perpetrators successfully escaped.
Following diligent police investigations, Fazazi was arrested and charged with his involvement in the crime.
He was subsequently sent before the Nalerigu District Court, where the presiding judge ordered that he be remanded into police custody to assist further investigations. Fazazi is expected to reappear before the court on 9th May 2025.
Police After Other Suspects
Meanwhile, the statement noted that the Ghana Police Service has intensified efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects.
The statement appealed to the public to assist by providing credible information that could lead to the arrest of the fugitive accomplices.
They stressed that community cooperation is critical in ensuring that justice is served and that such brazen attacks on businesses are curtailed.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Robert Anabiik Anmain, who issued the press release, reiterated the Police Service’s commitment to maintaining law and order in the region.
He assured residents that the Police would leave no stone unturned in their efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects and recover the stolen funds.
Mobile money transactions have become a vital part of everyday financial dealings for many Ghanaians, but the growing popularity of the service has also attracted criminals who see vendors as lucrative targets.
Security experts have long warned that mobile money operators are vulnerable to armed attacks, especially in areas where there is limited police presence or slow response times.
In response to the increasing threats, the Ghana Police Service advised vendors to employ additional security measures, such as operating in well-lit areas, limiting the amount of cash kept on hand, and installing surveillance systems.
The Police Service also assured the public of their resolve to bring the perpetrators to justice and emphasised that anyone found complicit in aiding or shielding the suspects will face the full rigours of the law.
It is the hope that swift and decisive action by law enforcement will deter future attacks and reinforce security for mobile money vendors across the region.
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