Authorities have confirmed the death of one person early Tuesday morning in the West Gonja District of the northern region,
The deceased was one of several passengers on board a KIA truck travelling from Buipe to Busunu who were attacked by armed robbers Monday evening, officials said, adding that the armed bandits escaped before police arrived.
According to authorities, the passengers were returning from Buipe market when the armed robbers attacked near Janikura a farming community, about thirteen kilometers away from Busunu.
Several other passengers were injured in the attack with two of them reported to be in critical conditions and are currently at the West Gonja District hospital.
Narrating the incident to Zaa News, a victim of the robbery, Mr. Seidu Peter, said the robbers totaling about four, first opened fire on a KIA truck that was in front of them but the driver refused to stop.
“I was standing in the middle when I heard a gunshot and people started screaming. armed robbers,” he said. “Before we realized, the robbers fired at our windscreen, the bullets hit our driver and a young lady who were sitting in front.Our driver had no option than to park for them to do their job.”
He continued: “They made us lie prostate on the ground as they took turns searching us. They took from us mobile phones, bags, money and other valuables. Some of us who resisted were slapped and brutalized. One of them even took away my bread.”
In an interview with some residents of Busunu, they lamented that the robbers have always taken advantage of the poor telecommunication network and the curved nature of that portion of the road to attack passengers.
Residents pointed out that robberies occur mostly on Mondays when traders are returning from Buipe market as most of them goes to sell cattle and food stuffs. They appealed to the police to strengthen security on the road.
Reprisal attacks
Some residents in the area who claimed the armed robbers were Fulanis are planning to retaliate with equal measure if security forces fail to arrest them. Victims who are indigenes of the area said the robbers sounded like Fulanis.
They attributed the robbery incidence in the area to the absence of an Operation Calm Lives team and urged the West Gonja District Security Committee to pay attention to the activities of Fulanis they suspect are behind the continued attacks on traders.
By Jonas Biawuribi
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.