The Upper West Regional Police Command has launched intensified security operations in and around the Kendeu community in the Wa West District.

This is after armed young men carried out a string of robberies and abducted two residents on Sunday, November 23, 2025.

According to a police statement issued on November 25, the attackers ambushed road users around 2 pm, robbing travellers of cash and valuables.

Market women heading to and from the area were also assaulted and dispossessed of their goods.

A joint Police–Military team was swiftly deployed, leading to the arrest of ten suspects, while others fled into nearby bushes.

Officers retrieved five locally manufactured guns, 25 live AA cartridges, two spent cartridges, two knives, and several spiritual talismans believed to have been used by the gang.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the group had earlier abducted two victims — John Gaan and Dari Moses Dondomor — who remain missing along with their personal effects.

Police say they are in close contact with complainants who are assisting with ongoing investigations.

Security patrols have since been intensified along the corridor to deter further attacks and reassure anxious residents.

Police leadership is also engaging community elders and other stakeholders to aid the search for the missing victims and help calm rising tensions in the area.

DCOP Francis K. Viribaare, the Upper West Regional Police Commander, praised the swift, coordinated response of officers, the military, and community leaders whose efforts, he noted, helped stabilise the situation.

The Command has assured the public of its commitment to protecting life and property, urging residents to remain cooperative and provide credible information to support investigations.