Security guard found dead at Dobile sparks fears of serial killings

The discovery of the body of a night watchman in Dobile, a suburb of Wa, has stirred fear and anxiety among residents who suspect a return of past serial killings.

The deceased, identified as Issah Yahaya and popularly known as “Soldier,” was found dead on Sunday, September 21, 2025, under a shed near the Wa New Market.

His head was reportedly smashed, with a knife placed on his chest. Yahaya was one of the security men responsible for patrolling the market at night.

Police officers retrieved the body and conveyed it to the Wa Regional Hospital mortuary for preservation as investigations commence.

The incident has revived disturbing memories of earlier killings in Wa, where victims were often found dead under mysterious circumstances.

In some of those cases, body parts were reported missing, fuelling suspicions of ritual motives. Despite several deaths recorded at the time, no arrests were made.

The Municipal Chief Executive of Wa, Alhaji Issah Nurah Danwana, has called for calm, assuring residents that security agencies are taking steps to restore order.

He noted that the assembly has begun replacing faulty streetlights, with about 70 percent already fixed and functioning.

He further appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to deploy additional patrols to Wa to curb insecurity.

According to him, at the peak of the killings in previous years, police barriers and checkpoints were mounted at vantage points in the town, but many of those security measures have since been withdrawn.

Residents, however, remain unsettled, fearing a repeat of the wave of attacks that once plagued the municipality. Police say investigations into the latest killing are ongoing.