Three suspected robbers were shot dead during a gun battle with police on Christmas Eve in a bush between Anwiankwanta and Jacobu Junction in the Ashanti Region.
The deceased were part of a five-member gang that allegedly opened fire on police officers upon encountering them. The remaining two suspects managed to escape and are currently on the run.
Following the exchange of gunfire, the injured suspects were rushed to the Bekwai Municipal Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival. They have been identified as Seidu Issah, 29; Musah Yakubu, 35; and Yahaya Munkaila, also known as Tijani, 25.
Their bodies have since been deposited at the hospital’s morgue for preservation and autopsy.
According to a police situational report (SITREP) sighted by Graphic Online, investigations are ongoing, with efforts underway to arrest the fleeing accomplices and retrieve the remaining firearms.
The SITREP noted that Seidu Issah, Tijani, and other members of the gang were wanted in connection with a series of robberies and killings in Manso, Jacobu, and Anwiankwanta.
It stated that on December 24, 2025, the Ashanti Regional Police Command received intelligence that the gang had assembled in a bush between Anwiankwanta and Jacobu Junction, allegedly preparing to carry out an attack along the Anwiankwanta–Obuasi road.
An intelligence-led operation was subsequently launched, with officers deploying four service vehicles to raid the location. Upon arrival, police spotted five armed men, who reportedly opened fire and attempted to flee into the bush. Officers returned fire, resulting in gunshot injuries to three of the suspects, while the other two, believed to have also sustained gunshot wounds, escaped.
The police retrieved two pump-action guns loaded with six rounds of ammunition each, an unbranded pistol, a sack containing 25 live cartridges, and six spent cartridges from the scene.
