The Upper West Regional Police Command has launched an intensified operation in the Saawie Community after a mob attacked five officers and seized three service weapons during a visit meant to ease communal tensions.
The incident occurred when Jirapa Municipal Police arrived in the area to address threats against Fulani herdsmen, a long-standing source of conflict.
According to a police report, the team, led by ASP George Doe, intended to invite community leaders for dialogue but was instead “violently confronted and attacked by approximately thirty members of the community,” leaving all five officers injured.
The attackers forcibly disarmed the team, fleeing with three AK-47 rifles and a pistol.
Regional Police Commander DCOP Francis Yiribaare immediately mobilised reinforcements from neighbouring districts.
The injured officers were rescued and taken to St. Joseph Hospital in Jirapa, where they are “responding positively to treatment,” the report noted.
A search operation led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle without a magazine and a pistol, but two rifles and a magazine remain missing.
Nine suspects were arrested during follow-up operations, and items including locally manufactured guns, motorbikes, a tricycle, and household appliances were retrieved.
DCOP Yiribaare has since met with the chief and assembly member of the community, issuing a 24-hour ultimatum for the return of the remaining weapons.
Police say the missing rifles pose a significant security risk and insist that their recovery is critical to maintaining safety in the region.
