Armed robbers attack black market exchange traders at Paga Border

Correspondence from Upper East Region

Six men armed with guns have attacked traders at the Ghana-Burkina Faso border in Paga, robbing some traders of their monies in different currencies.

The robbery incident took place on the Burkina Faso side of the border near Dakola at a black market where traders openly exchange money. It happened at about 9 o’clock in the morning when the traders had just begun the day’s businesses.

According to information gathered, the robbers arrived on three motorcycles and attacked the traders who were their main target.

Eyewitnesses who spoke to GhanaWeb’s Senyalah Castro narrated, that four of the robbers blocked both sides of the ECOWAS road amidst sporadic shots, while two moved from onoe stall to another, coercing the traders to part with their monies.

One eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said some of the traders resisted the coercion of the robbers and ran toward Ghana’s border prompting the Immigration Service and Customs Force to return fire which forced the robbers to abandon their operation and took to their heels.

The eyewitness continued that the Immigration Service later called for backup from the Police SWAT Team and Army stationed in the area. The joint security forces pursued the robbers and apprehended two members of the syndicate at Pindaa. The rest managed to escape on their motorbikes into the bush cover.

District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Gerard Ataogye, who confirmed the incident said he received a call from the Immigration Service informing him about the robbery.

He disclosed that the two gang members who have been arrested were handed over to law enforcement authorities in Burkina Faso to face the law since it was discovered they are citizens of the neighbouring country.

Mr. Ataogye said a delegation of security operatives from Burkina Faso has been sent to meet their Ghanaian counterparts and talks are underway to see how the perpetrators can be brought to book and dealt with.

He commended the Ghanaian security agencies for the swift intervention and charged the people of the area to be vigilant and report suspicious characters in their environment to the police.

“This is a wakeup call for all of us, every single soul in Kassena-Nankana West not only the security agencies. We must all be alert. I call on the people to not entertain any fear or panic. Just be alert and anybody you suspect or there’s such a character in your surroundings, quickly report to the police and action will be taken”.

Today’s robbery incident brings to two at that same location. A similar one was reported not too long ago where the robbers successfully made away with huge sums of cash. This one has kept security agencies from both countries on high alert.

As at the time of filing this report, there was heavy presence of officers of the Army and Police at the border. Nobody was hurt in the robbery.

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