The Paramount Chief of the Talensi Traditional Area in the Upper East Region, Nab Kugbilsong Nalebgetang has announced the establishment of Vigilante Groups in all Communities in the Talensi Traditional Area to assist the security services fight Crime and insecurity as a result of the increasing reports of armed robbery and loss of lives by unidentified people.
Based on complaints by residents, the Tongraan invited all Fulani community chiefs in the area at his palace on an allegation of Fulanis being the armed robbers terrorizing the area and how best they can assist in ‘fishing out the bad ones amongst Fulani residents.
The large discovery of gold and mining activities in the Talensi District is accounting for the rampant incidents of robbery and stealing in the mining communities.
The Talensi District has been invaded by notorious armed robbers who are robbing citizens of their properties; motor bikes, money, gold, mobile phones and other valuable items. They sometimes shoot, injure, maim and kill breadwinners of less privileged families.
On Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at about 8:00 pm along the Buugu – Earl International Group Mining Road at Gbane, the armed robbers shot and killed a young mason, Listowel Mbatoat Babamporhi from Baare in the Talensi District. The situation has sent shivers down the spines of the youth, women, miners and workers of the mining companies in Talensi.
And in fact, residents now live in fear of these dreadful armed robbers.
The Tongraan, Talensi Traditional Council, the Talensi District Assembly and the Ghana Police Service has collectively activated a response mechanism in dealing with the menace especially in the mining communities where the focus of the armed robbers is.
As part of this collaborative efforts, the leadership of the Fulani community in Talenteng were summoned by the Tongraan to convey complaints from residents on an alleged involvement of Fulanis in the robbery situation in the area.
The Tongraan, Nab Kugbilsong Nalebgetang during the interaction with the Fulani community chiefs, emphasized the need for the law-abiding Fulani residents to protect their image by reporting other Fulanis who are alien to them and have suspicion on those individuals and that is the only way crime can reduce.
“The agenda was to talk about the security of the Talensi area vis-à-vis armed robbery. And we realized that there have been a number of complaints that have been brought to us. The fact that most of the armed robberies that we are facing within the district are likely to be coming from the Fulani. And one is wondering whether this is true or not. But in order to try and sort out matters, so that we see how best we can sort these things out, we have to call a meeting of all the Fulani chiefs within the Talensi traditional area and bring the matter to them.
And our intention is to let them know that these are matters that are coming to us. We were told that a lot of the armed robberies are coming from some of their people. At least we know that the Fulani people have stayed with us here for quite a long time. And most of them who have been here for all this while have been very, very responsible”, he said.
According to the overlord of Talensi Traditional Area, the whole idea is not to accuse them, but to let them know that everyone has to work out a way that will arrest this kind of armed robbery within the area.
The District Chief Executive for Talensi, Millim Nabwomya, disclosed that, DISEC is up to the task on this issue and despite the logistical challenges though some logistics are arriving soon, security personnel are sacrificing to protect lives and properties in the district.
“A few days ago, I contacted the regional commander because of the activities of some bad people in the Talensi District. There have been reported armed robbery cases every now and then. So, I contacted the regional police commander for him to support the police in the Talensi District to do night and day patrols. So, when he accepted my request, he asked that we should be able to provide for what we have done already. Then the overLord (Tongraan) also got wind of the matter and said, no, then it is good that the one who can keep the peace is we ourselves and that’s the reason for meeting stakeholders including the Fulani community today.”
“So, it is good we ourselves form a vigilante group to support the police by way of giving them information and giving them leads to how they can clamp down on these illegal people who are actually terrorizing and then robbing people of their properties and sometimes maiming, I mean causing loss of life to people,” he said.
According to concerned residents, from 2022 to date, armed robbers have shot and killed not less than seven young promising individuals leaving several injured and this situation has become a daily routine in Talensi.
“Fighting crime is a collective responsibility for all of us. The little contribution everybody makes helps in combating crime. If you see something, say something. If you see something and you keep quiet, Police, we may not be everywhere. We can’t cover all the places that are crime prone areas.
So once you are living in a community and you even suspect some characters, you can promptly inform the police,” the Talensi District Police Commander, ASP Sulemana Alhassan stressed.
Some government workers including nurses and teachers declined postings to the mining communities citing insecurity and armed robbery while existing workers are leaving the eastern part of the district.
Businesses have slowed down during the evenings and dark hours due to fear of being attacked by unknown gun men.
The over sixteen divisional chiefs in the traditional area have all showed leadership and commitment in the fight against insecurity and crime in their various traditional areas as a way of helping the Tongraan and the Assembly in this regard.
Tanko Mohammed Rabiu
