The Nkawie Divisional Police Patrol Team on Monday evening, June 2, 2025, blocked an attempted armed robbery on two commercial passenger buses along the Kumasi–Bibiani highway, with one confirmed dead.

The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. between the communities of Ahwerewa and Esaase, a known hotspot for highway robberies in recent months.

In a statement released by the Ashanti Regional Police command, the two Sprinter buses were traveling from Kumasi towards Bibiani when five armed men attempted to intercept and rob the vehicles.

However, prompt intelligence and swift action by the Nkawie Patrol Team proved crucial in averting what could have been a tragic incident.

The release notes that the “five armed suspects, one of whom was wielding a pump-action gun, had stopped the two vehicles at gunpoint and were in the process of robbing passengers.”

But “upon sighting the police, the suspect armed with the pump-action gun opened fire on the patrol team. The officers responded swiftly, returning fire and fatally wounding one of the suspects, who was later confirmed dead by a medical doctor at the Afari Government Hospital, while the remaining four suspects fled
the scene and are currently at large,” the statement added.

While no arrests have yet been made, the police have launched a manhunt for the suspects believed to have sustained injuries.

According to the Regional command, “The Police are therefore appealing to all medical facilities and practitioners to be on the lookout and report any persons presenting with gunshot injuries to the nearest police station.”

Meanwhile, the body of the deceased suspect has been deposited at the Afari Government Hospital morgue for preservation and further investigation.

The Ashanti Regional Police Command and Nkawie Divisional Police Command have since intensified patrols along the Kumasi–Bibiani highway and are urging the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity as part of broader efforts to combat highway crime.