Police Special Operations Team Pulled from Kumasi Hours After Launching Anti-Crime Drive
Kumasi Residents Express Concern After Police Anti-Crime Team Recalled
- Ghana Police Special Operations Team withdrawn from Kumasi less than 24 hours after deployment
- Team conducted intelligence-led patrols, arrested 19 suspects, and targeted robbery, drugs, and illegal weapons
- Sudden recall sparks public concern, with residents questioning the decision and awaiting official explanation
A Special Operations Team sent by the Ghana Police Service to address rising crime in Kumasi has been withdrawn less than 24 hours after beginning operations in the Ashanti Regional capital.
The unit, led by Bawah Abdul Jalil and Samuel Mustapha Abenzuo, arrived on Wednesday and immediately started intelligence-led patrols targeting crime-prone areas across the metropolis.
The team’s mandate focused on curbing offences such as robbery, drug trafficking, violent attacks, and illegal weapons possession.
A total of 111 personnel were deployed, supported by 10 service vehicles, including an armoured carrier and a Black Maria for suspect transport. Patrols covered key locations such as the Manhyia Palace enclave, before moving to a known drug hotspot called “Tinker Island.”
During this initial phase, officers arrested 19 individuals in connection with drug-related offences at the site.
However, shortly after these operations, the team was recalled to Police Headquarters in Accra to prepare for other assignments.
The sudden withdrawal has raised public concern, with some residents questioning the move and suggesting possible external influence.
“We were beginning to feel safer seeing their presence, so this sudden recall is worrying,” one resident commented.
The Ghana Police Service has not yet released an official explanation for the recall.
