By Joseph Zieviel | Hamile, Upper West Region | July 9, 2025

Tensions are running high in Hamile, a border town in Ghana’s Upper West Region, following a controversial shooting incident involving officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS). The episode, which occurred on the night of Saturday, July 5, 2025, has left a young man hospitalized—first in neighbouring Burkina Faso, and later at a hospital in Nandom, Ghana.

According to preliminary accounts, officers from the GIS Hamile Command allegedly shot and wounded 27-year-old Doe Naamuka, an assistant tractor operator, while he and his driver, Suukabe Bashiru, were en route to a nearby farm in the rural community of Gangnvuor, located near the Ghana-Burkina Faso border.
Eyewitnesses claim the incident occurred between 9:30 and 10:00 p.m., when GIS officers intercepted the pair on an unapproved route referred to locally as “Mountain Back.” According to Bashiru, the officers detained him without explanation and allegedly abandoned Naamuka—who had been shot in the left ankle—in the bush. It was only after Bashiru was allowed to make a phone call that the victim’s family learned of his whereabouts. They later transported him across the border to a nearby health facility in Burkina Faso for urgent medical attention.

Naamuka was later referred to the St. Theresa’s Hospital in Nandom, where he is undergoing further treatment, including X-ray examinations to assess the extent of the injury. In an interview with this reporter, Suukabe Bashiru recounted their ordeal:
“We were just heading to the farm, which is barely 150 meters away. When we explained ourselves, they didn’t listen. They detained me overnight and didn’t say anything about my assistant until the next morning.”
Efforts to obtain an official comment from the GIS Hamile Command were unsuccessful. A senior officer declined to speak, citing instructions from higher authorities not to engage with the media. However, an internal GIS report intercepted by this reporter provides a different narrative. According to the document,
“At about 2230 hours on 05/07/2025, officers on duty at Mountain Back (an unapproved route) intercepted a red, unregistered tractor operated by Suukabe Bashiru and an unidentified male passenger. Neither individual presented any form of identification. Officers advised them to return and use the official border crossing, which had closed at 1800 hours. The driver reportedly ignored the advice and attempted to access another illegal route. Officers gave chase and signaled them to stop.

When they failed to comply, one officer discharged a round at the vehicle’s tyre, inadvertently injuring the passenger.”
The report confirms the detention of Bashiru and the impounding of the tractor, along with photographic evidence of the vehicle, the wounded ankle, and written statements from the detained driver. However, members of the Hamile community are expressing outrage and skepticism over the GIS’s version of events. Residents allege that this is not the first time excessive force has been used by immigration officers in the area. Many are demanding an independent investigation and greater oversight of GIS operations at the border.

“It’s like they operate without any checks. This isn’t the first time someone has been shot under questionable circumstances,” said a local resident, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.
“This officer in particular is known for reaching for his gun at the slightest provocation.”
Community leaders and civil society organizations have begun mobilizing to petition the regional and national leadership of the Ghana Immigration Service for swift action and reforms. Human rights activists in the region have also condemned the incident, calling it a clear case of abuse of power. The Hamile District Police Command has since confirmed the launch of an official investigation into the matter. A police spokesperson stated that statements are being collected from both the GIS officers involved and eyewitnesses, while medical reports from the victim’s treatment are being reviewed as part of the inquiry.
As investigations unfold, the incident has ignited a broader conversation about security operations, human rights, and accountability at Ghana’s border posts. With public confidence in the GIS now under scrutiny, many in Hamile say they will continue to demand justice—not just for Doe Naamuka, but for all those who have suffered silently under similar circumstances.