Two suspected highway robbers have been shot dead following a fierce gun battle with police.

Two suspected highway robbers have been shot dead following a fierce gun battle with police during a targeted security operation in Ghana’s Ashanti South Region.

The incident occurred during an intelligence-led mission carried out between April 25 and 26, 2026, aimed at dismantling a criminal network believed to be behind a series of highway robberies.

The group had reportedly been operating along major routes including the Obuasi–Manso Nyinahin stretch and other parts of the country.

According to police, the operation began after intelligence identified a key suspect, Sumaila Munkaila, popularly known as “Guda,” who was hiding in Vitin, a suburb of Tamale in the Northern Region.

He was arrested on April 25 and, during interrogation, allegedly confessed to participating in multiple robbery attacks, including a high-profile convoy attack in July 2025 as well as recent roadblock robberies along the Buipe–Tamale and Vizesi–Fumbisi highways.

The suspect subsequently provided information that led to the arrest of another accomplice, Umaro Musah, in Savelugu later that same day. Both suspects reportedly assisted police by leading them to a bush near Yizesi, close to Fumbisi in the Upper East Region, where weapons used in their operations had been hidden.

However, while police were conducting a search in the area on April 26, they came under heavy gunfire from unidentified armed men concealed in the bush. This triggered an intense exchange of gunshots between the police and the attackers.

In the course of the confrontation, the two suspects attempted to escape but sustained gunshot wounds. A police officer was also injured during the shootout. The suspects were rushed to the Tamale Government Hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.

Their bodies have since been deposited at the Bekwai Municipal Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while the injured officer is receiving medical treatment.

Police say the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on highway robbery and improve security on major roads across the country. Investigations are continuing to track down other members of the criminal network believed to still be at large.