A group of concerned Muslim youth in the Sogakope Zongo community in the South Tongu District have taken decisive action to clamp down on the rising incidents of robbery and drug abuse, allegedly perpetrated by some individuals within the area. 

Led by Mr Abdul-Rauph Saka, the group stormed and ransacked three rooms within local “ghetto” apartments suspected to be the operational base of a group of Muslim youths allegedly involved in criminal activities.  

The move, Mr Saka said, was motivated by the recent spate of robberies that rocked the district and left many local traders in fear for their lives and livelihoods. 

“Some of our own Muslim brothers have been at the forefront of these robberies,” Mr Saka said, revealing that “After thorough investigations, stolen items such as bags of cement, buckets of paint, and cartons of tiles, among others, were found in the rooms we cleared. We couldn’t sit by any longer while our community suffers”. 

He emphasised that the actions taken were part of broader community efforts to restore peace and security, adding that prior approval had been sought from the local police to shut down the identified hideouts. 

Mr Saka stressed the need for vigilance and community-police collaboration in tackling the menace, saying, “We will do everything possible to ensure our Zongo becomes a safe place to live, and we are committed to working closely with the law enforcement agency”. 

Other residents also expressed their frustrations, citing increasing fear of theft and violent behaviours associated with drug use among some of the youth. 

“We’re scared to even sleep peacefully at night,” one resident said. “Sometimes we must hide our cooking utensils because they steal anything they can sell after using drugs. It’s disturbing,” a resident pleading anonymity said. 

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed that calm had been restored in the Zongo community at the time of filing the report, with residents resuming their daily activities amidst heightened vigilance. 

However, the GNA’s efforts to reach the District Police Command proved futile.