Upper West: Reasons Why Police Reportedly Shot Eight People

About Eight Young Men have been shot by police Officers in Wa on Numerous occasions and under several questionable circumstances.

There no clear roadmaps as to how these cases are being investigated according to the Upper West Regional Police Command. Some families have expressed concern over the developments.

Despite the concern some people believe Police maybe right in some of the instances. These are the reasons why the affected people were shot by police.

Ali Rashid – The Game
1st April 2017
JJ Rawlings High Street
Injured Died Later

Firstly, in 2017. On 1st April 2017, A police man on night duty shot a young man by name ‘the game’ a past student of Wasec and a Teacher on his pelvic for Riding an Unregistered Motorbike.Constable Frank Kpenge was kept in custody assisting with investigations for Shooting Ali Rashid.
A police man, Corporal James Kuofa was attacked and nearly lynched by the angry youth.
police officers on night duty at around 9pm on Saturday 1st April 2017, shot a young man of age 27. The said young man who’s name was only known as ‘The Game’ was picked on a luojia motorbike unregistered when the issue happened. The were on the Rawlings highstreet from Kambali approaching the main traffic when all of a sudden two police men also on a Yamaha motorbike on duty approached them and tried to stop them, in the process, The Game who was behind the unregistered motorbike jumped down and started running, in the proccess one of the police officers shot at his right pelvic. Instantly young men who experienced the scene couldn’t hold it but rather got up to exhibit displeasure whilst the victim was rushed to the Wa regional hospital for immediate attention.

Desmond Danye
July 2017
Han-Ullo Stretch
Dead

in 2017 Again, Desmond Danye, popularly known as Nabu, who was actively involved in the campaign activities of the NDC MP, was shot in July 2017 at an alleged robbery scene by police personnel patrolling the Hian-Ullo stretch of the Jirapa District.

ASP Daniel Nartey, Jirapa district police commander, in an interview said ” Nabu was leading a robbery syndicate operating in the district and his gang met my men on patrol duty, mistook them for civilians and ordered them to stop. When they realized they were police officers they tried shooting and my men also returned fire killing him on the spot”.
He explained that there have been series of robbery attacks on commuters especially in the last couple of days.

“Our intelligence gathered so far suggests that Nabu has been leading most of these attacks on innocent citizens in the last few weeks.”

Zumankyere Amos – Skelenzy
28th of January 2024.
Loho – Nadowli-Kaleo
Dead

Zumankyere Amos, widely known in showbiz as Skelenzy, tragically succumbed to his injuries after being shot by the police in January 2024.

The incident occurred near the Loho Primary School in Wa, Upper West Region, while Skelenzy and his companion, Fidelis, were returning from Kaleo.

The 27-year-old musician, a native of Daffiamah but residing in Loho, Wa Municipal, was mistakenly shot by the police while riding his motorbike. The bullets pierced through his abdomen, also grazing Fidelis’s thigh, who was riding pillion. Both victims were swiftly rushed to the Regional Hospital by the police for urgent medical attention.

Skelenzy, a graduate of Kanton Senior High School in 2017, leaves behind a wife and two children, a girl, and a boy, from different mothers.

Abubakari Shahid
8th March 2023
Degu
Dead

Lastly, on 8th March 2023, An Anti Robbery Group stormed Tangbile Ju in the Degu Electoral Area where they shot a 27-year old man by Name Abubakari Shahid to Death.

Abubakar Shahid was allegedly shot and killed by the Police Anti-Armed Robbery Squad on suspicion of being a member of an armed robbery gang said to be terrorising residents in Wa and its environs on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

This led to a serious protest by the family, residents from Dondoli as well as the municipality who flatly denied the allegations and called for an independent probe into the case to exonerate the deceased who they said had never involved in any criminal act prior to his unfortunate passing.

Ibrahim Hafiz
16th of September 2022
Gongo Muni T- Junction
Injured

Thirdly, in September 2022, a 14year old boy was hit by stray bullet from a police officer According to statements from the boy’s father.

Ibrahim Hafis was shot at Gongo Muni T-Junction during an unrest in Wa on the 16th of September 2022. His leg was amputated at the Upper West Regional Hospital. He is a Basic 6 Student of Kabanye Model School.

Mahama Moomin
March 18, 2025
Sombo
Injured

Wa shooting: Unarmed motorbike rider shot by Police
A police detachment on the 18th March 2025 at about 11 am in the morning allegedly shot a civilian by name Mahama Moomin on the Wa-Sombo stretch of the Wa Metropolis.

The incident occurred in between Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament-Rt. Hon. Alban S.K Bagbin’s residence and the abandoned state housing site at Wa Sombo as the victim was returning from Dorimon in the Wa West District to Wa with his brother -Zakaria Latif riding a motorbike.

According to Zakaria Latif, who was an eye witness to the incident and a pillion rider narrated to Sungmaale FM, that they went to Dorimon to buy cashew nuts and on their way back to Wa they saw a police detachment with a white pick-up vehicle under a Dawadawa tree.

The eye witness further stressed that there wasn’t a police checkpoint which would have required of us to stop but since there was none, we rode off. As we passed, I glanced back and realized that the Police were tracing us with their vehicle. I drew the attention of the victim who was riding that the police seem to be tracing us. I therefore suggested to him to either stop or veer off the road and take different direction to find out whether they will also follow us there.

Unfortunately as the victim veered off the road, about 5 police officers came down from the vehicle and one started shooting recklessly. The fourth bullet of the unidentified police officer’s bullet hit the lower chest of my brother and he shouted for help and we fell in the process.

Hurriedly, the police officers got to the scene and realized blood was oozing profusely around his stomach and he was taken to Home Land Clinic which was the nearest health facility. He was given first aid attention, but was later referred to the Upper West Regional Hospital due the incessant blood flow.
Mahama Moomin is currently receiving medical treatment at the Upper West Regional Hospital.

However, countless cases of similar incidents occurred in the Upper West Region in the past due to unprofessional conduct of Police on duty which resulted in several lives lost and some disabled. There has not been any swift measure to avert the unfortunate occurrences leading to many happening in the region.

The latest incident angered most reside particularly the youth who wanted to retaliate at all cost. However, they were persuaded to exercise restrain assuring them this time round, the perpetrators will deliberately be brought to book.

To reiterate this further, the Upper West Regional Minister who also doubles as the Chairman of REGSEC, the Ghana Bar Association, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), thd Member of Parliament for Wa Central, the Religious Leaders and Traditional Authorities particularly, the Overlord of the Wala Traditional Area, the Wa Naa and the Yeri-Naa ought to take keen interest in this latest incident to ensure that the Perpetrators are brought to justice.

1st July 2025
Haruna Abdul Rashid
Duori
Injured

Narrative from Victim – June 2025

I set out for work and took a path towards ‘Odo’ Road in Duori, I saw a man also from the Main Road passing by

So we switched positions on the road and as a result he claimed that I crossed his pathway, I didn’t agree with his assertions so out of Anger he begun insulting me.

I was carrying some paint on my bike so a brought the paint down from the bike, in the process, he slapped me, took out a gun(pistol) and shot me.

A brother of mine by name Fahim, an immigration Officer, Urged me to ignore him and continue to where I was heading to.

In an attempt to walk, I couldn’t so I sat on the ground, he [PID officer] tried shooting again but he was stopped in the process by the immigration officer at the Scene.

In the process, the place became crowded and I was carried to the hospital.

A brother of mine, a musician by name Ras Badingu brought me here in a Bajaj Tricycle.

Jelilu AkA Jupiter
28th – October – 2025
Kambali
Injured

Jalilu AKA Jupita was tasked by Jamaica Youth Group on the 27th of October 2025 to visit Maxixco Gardens and retrieve some stolen monies from a strumpet at the Night Club, he went there and had a horrendous Encounter with some Nigerian Sex workers.
Owner of Maxixco Gardens Took Up the Issue and Involved the Police.
The Police Moved to Kambali Junction on the 28th of October and Tried Arresting Jelilu AkA Jupiter, a Member of Jamaica Youth Group
Jelilu Attempted Running Towards the Kambali Clinic and Was Shot in the Leg. He was Rushed to Home Land Clinic at Sombo for Treatment.

Source: Upper West Media App