The Wa Municipality in the Upper West region has been left in shock following the gruesome killing of a night security guard in the Dobile Electoral Area.

The victim, identified as Yahya Issa, popularly known as Soja, was discovered dead in the early hours of Saturday, September 20.

Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Issah Nura Danwana confirmed the incident, describing it as deeply disturbing. He noted that residents had long expressed concerns over security in several parts of the municipality.

“Street lights remain a major issue. We have worked on 378 lights and repaired 166, but there is still a deficit of about 400. We are following up with the Ministry of Energy to ensure more lights are fixed. Many dark spots have been lit in recent weeks, but more needs to be done," the MCE explained.

He, however, pointed out that poor lighting alone could not explain the incident, given that the crime scene was only about 400 meters from a police station and close to the new market, raising further questions about security response.

Assembly Member for the Dobile Electoral Area, Zakaria Ibrahim, who visited the scene, confirmed that the victim worked as a night watchman at the Wa Regional Market.

“Before we arrived, a knife was found lying on his chest. His face was badly smashed, with blood flowing from the forehead. From what we gathered, the attackers may have used a block to hit his head,” he told reporters.

Mr Ibrahim described the killing as shocking, recalling similar violent attacks in the municipality in past years. However, he noted a key difference in this case: no body parts were removed, unlike in previous incidents.

Police have conveyed the body to the Upper West Regional Hospital mortuary for autopsy and have launched investigations into the crime.

This latest killing adds to a troubling pattern of violent attacks targeting security guards in Wa. In 2022, a series of murders sent shockwaves through the municipality and prompted heightened police operations.

Residents now fear a resurgence of such crimes and are calling for urgent and stronger security measures to prevent further bloodshed.