Armed robbers attack filling station at Chiana

Four gun-wielding men said to be robbers have attacked a filling station named Maxx Energy at Chiana in the Kassena-Nankana West District.

The robbers attacked the station around 5pm Monday, November 30, 2020.

An eyewitness recounted that the masked men arrived at the station on two unregistered motorbikes under the pretext of buying fuel and attacked the unsuspecting attendants, including a mother and child.

The source further said the bandits held the workers hostage for close to forty-five minutes while they ransacked the building for cash and other valuables.

They also subjected the attendant to severe beatings for failing to produce the key to the Safe where there was more money and shot her in the thigh in the process.

One of the robbers, according to the witness, blocked the entry point to the facility with a gun intermittently firing into the air, while the others perpetrated the attack.

They later bolted on their bikes with an unspecified amount of money and mobile phones when they sensed that the Police had been notified of their nefarious activity.

The wounded attendant was later taken to the Chiana Health Centre where she was medically attended to and discharged.

“The robbers were four and came to buy fuel. When the lady went to serve them, they pulled out their guns and ask her to keep quiet and bring all her money. They took all the money in her hand and asked her to go inside and open the safe where there was a huge amount of money. When she didn’t have the keys, they beat her mercilessly and even hit her with their guns. She was also hit by a bullet in her leg. As they were doing all that, one of them was standing at the entrance with another gun and gave warning shots. People who were coming to buy fuel started running away. The men later ran way when they realized the police have been called”. The eyewitness recounted to GhanaWeb’s Senyalah Castro.

Confirming the incident, the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Francis Agyare said they received a distress call about the incident but before his men arrived there the robbers had already fled.

He said they were able to retrieve two spent bullet shells from the scene which was helping them in their investigation.

Meanwhile, GhanaWeb has gathered that the Municipal Police Command is facing a serious challenge with transportation. Our investigations have revealed that vehicles that were provided for the Command have broken down and have since not been fixed. This has made the movement of the Police for patrol duties in the area very difficult.

DSP Agyare confirmed this when the question was put before him and has appealed for urgent help especially as the country goes to polls soon.

“What even makes the situation worse is the fact that the election is near and we don’t even have a vehicle in good condition,” the commander appealed.