A group of suspects paraded by the police
The Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has assured banks and its customers to go about their transactions without fear, stating that the police have busted robbery syndicate that targeted bank clients.
During a media briefing in Accra, IGP Yohuno said in early April 2026, his attention was drawn to complaints about the ordeal customers who patronise various banks within the Greater Accra Metropolis go through in the hands of criminals.
He said the suspected robbery group usually monitors its victims, uses a master key to open their vehicles and, in some instances, break into the vehicles. It was also believed that the group was planning possible attacks on some banks.
“Based on this information, I tasked the Office of the Special Operations Assistant to the IGP (SOA) to mount surveillance on the activities of the alleged criminal groups at various banks within Greater Accra and Tema Metropolis,” he said.
IGP Yohuno said on June 9, 2026, and June 11, 2026, the suspected robbery syndicate operated at some banks and were spotted on board a Toyota Highlander and a Hyundai Tucson. On May 17, 2026, the suspects robbed a lady at Agbamaame in Tema Community 2 of GH¢50,000 after she had withdrawn the amount from a bank at Tema.
On June 11, 2026, the gang attacked a young man at Achimota at gunpoint after he had withdrawn an unspecified amount of money from the bank and was on his way home. On August 13, 2026, the surveillance team received reliable information that the robbery gang had been spotted at a bank on the Spintex Road and were heading towards Labone and Cantonments, Accra.
He said the team monitored the suspects who were on board a black Hyundai Tucson with registration number GS 7915-19 and an ash-coloured Toyota Highlander with registration number GS 1434-18.
He revealed that the gang leaders, Harrison Chinedu and Dan, were armed with pistols during their operations. He said the suspects were later spotted at Labone where they had positioned themselves strategically between the Zenith and GCB banks as well as Ecobank, monitoring the banks in a bid to launch an attack.
“However, following a swift response from the police team, the planned attack was successfully foiled. Two of the suspects were shot, one managed to escape and one was arrested,” he said.
According to the IGP, investigation disclosed that the suspects bring the vehicles into the country and subsequently change the Nigerian number plates to Ghanaian number plates to undertake their criminal enterprise.
The IGP assured that the accused, Augustine Okechuku Maazi, aged 49, has been remanded by the court and is currently in lawful custody. He reiterated his assurance of keeping surveillance around banking areas for safe transactions.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke