WANTED! Kumodzi and Bombon
The Ghana Police Service have placed an amount of GH¢20, 000 bounty on the heads of the gang leaders who led the violence which occurred in Nima, Accra, last Tuesday.
The gang leaders Ali Awudu aka Bombom, who leads the Bombom Group, and Ibrahim Hussein, leader of the Kumodzi Group, are both at large.
ACP Kwesi Ofori, the Director General in charge of Police Affairs Directorate, at a press conference, said any person who offers credible information leading to their arrest will get the GH¢20,000.
He said police intelligence surveillance team is on the ground to make sure that their aim of getting the suspects arrested to face justice, is achieved.
“The Police Administration has a special plan for such emerging crimes of gangsterism, as special intervention schemes and action plans would be initiated soon to curb such illegal acts,” he disclosed.
He said the Police Administration has also taken serious view of it and is working with youth groups, interest groups, civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders to make sure such gangsterism as witnessed in Nima is not replicated elsewhere.
Checks have indicated that the two groups, in their quest for supremacy, to lord over each other, and to make sure that they intimidate their opponent, have had a lot of fights at the lower level without these coming to light. Their activities have been monitored by the Nima Police closely over the past two years.
They have even been hauled before the Nima Security Council and warned accordingly before.
ACP Ofori said, “Ghana is a democratic country and would make sure that the police enforce the law to its fullest, making sure that police primacy prevails in every inch and every part of our land and country.”
He also stated on record that their investigations have revealed that three people were seriously injured in the course of the violence, saying “one is at 37 Military hospital and two others at Police Hospital being offered medical care.”
“So far, records indicate that no deaths were recorded and our attention has not been drawn to any death in any of the hospitals,” he said.
The nine persons arrested are Abdul Gafari Mohammed, Bashir Ganiyu, Mohammed Saidu Baribui, Attawurah Basson, Gariba Abdul Mumuni, Abdul Aziz Sulemana, Imoro Ibrahim, Issah Seidu and Elliasu.
According to ACP Ofori, preliminary investigation indicated that the violent disturbance was occasioned by a misunderstanding between the two gangster groups based at Mamobi and Nima Gutter respectively.
He said further investigation established that Kumodzi who controls the Nima-based group went to the Mamobi black market to transact foreign exchange business at about 3pm and whilst there, the two gangster groups violently attacked each other, in the course of which some gang members and two “black market” currency dealers were hit and injured.
He added that the two victims who happened to be caught in the violent disturbance are currently receiving medical attention at the 37 Military Hospital, while a barbering shop was also vandalised in the process.
The police proceeded to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital upon learning that two of the rioters who sustained gunshot injuries in the course of the clashes had been rushed there and met suspects Abdul Aziz Sulemana and Imoro Ibrahim with injuries and arrested them.
“Four other suspects namely; Bashir Ganiyu, Mohammed Saidu Baribui, Attawurah Basson, and Gariba Abdul Mumuni who were met at the hospital and being suspected to be part of the rioters were also arrested. They are currently in police custody assisting with the investigations. Meanwhile, the two injured arrested suspects have been transferred to the Police Hospital for treatment under police guard.”
In the early hours of Wednesday, the police gathered intelligence to the effect that one of the suspects who was captured on video in respect of the violence was hiding at Ashalaja in rural Accra.
The team proceeded to the said location and arrested suspects Issah Seidu and Elliasu from their hideouts.
More Search
A search conducted in the house in which they were arrested led to the retrieval of one pump action gun, one unregistered motorbike, and a military uniform.
The police also retrieved twelve (12) empty cartridges, one live bullet and three AAA live ammunition from the scene at Nima. Other items found and retained for the purposes of investigation included one pistol magazine, two machetes, two knives, a toy pistol and two mobile phones.
A special intelligence and surveillance team has been deployed to Nima, Mamobi and its adjoining communities in pursuit of the remaining members of the two gangster groups.
“Suspects Ali Awudu alias Bombom and Ibrahim Hussein alias Kumodzi are declared wanted. We, therefore, appeal to the public to assist by volunteering information that will lead to their arrest,” ACP Ofori said, adding “we further urge the public to remain calm as National, Regional and Divisional patrol teams are deployed to maintain law and order at Nima, Mamobi and surrounding communities.”
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey