On 26th February 2026, calm within the Tamale Metropolis was shattered when a routine patrol by the IGP Special Operations Team turned into a major security intervention. A distress call alerted the team to a violent gang clash at the Aboabo Market area, where suspected drug peddlers were reportedly attacking each other with machetes, firearms, and other offensive weapons. The team swiftly moved to the scene, but upon sighting the security personnel, the suspects fled in different directions. Despite an intensive search operation within and around the market enclave, no arrests were made at that stage. However, the team maintained a strong security presence, restoring calm and preventing further escalation.
While patrols were ongoing, another urgent call was received from the Assemblyman for the Lamakara Electoral Area, reporting the discovery of a lifeless male adult in front of an abandoned house. The team responded immediately and found the deceased lying supine with multiple assault marks, indicating severe physical violence. Preliminary investigations suggested the deceased had been lynched following a dispute. Acting on intelligence that one suspect, Abubakari Mohammed, was attempting to flee, officers intercepted and arrested him along the Accra–Kumasi Road. During interrogation, he admitted that the deceased had failed to pay for two tablets of Tramadol he had purchased, and the resulting disagreement led to brutal beatings that caused the victim’s death. His alleged accomplice, Rasheed Sumaila, was later apprehended after initial resistance and obstruction from his relatives, who were also arrested for interfering with police duties.
The body was handed over to the Tamale Regional Criminal Investigations Department for preservation and further forensic examination. Subsequent swoop operations across the metropolis led to the arrest of six additional suspects for possession, sale, and use of substances suspected to be Indian hemp and opioids. All suspects are currently in custody at the Sakasaka Police Station assisting with investigations pending prosecution. The operation marked a significant breakthrough in efforts to curb drug peddling and violent crime in Tamale, underscoring the professionalism, vigilance, and commitment of the IGP Special Operations Team to maintaining public safety in the region.
