Night security guard murdered in Wa

Residents of the Wa Municipality have been left in shock after the killing of a night security guard at the Dobile Electoral Area in the Upper West Region.

The deceased, identified as Yahya Issa and popularly called Soja, was found lifeless on Saturday, September 20. His death has once again drawn attention to growing security concerns in the municipality.

Municipal Chief Executive, Issah Nura Danwana, who rushed to the scene after being alerted by National Security, described the development as disturbing. He noted that despite efforts to improve lighting and visibility in Wa, safety challenges persist.

“Street lights remain a major issue. We have worked on 378 lights and repaired 166, but there is still a deficit of about 400. We are following up with the Ministry of Energy to ensure that more lights are fixed. Many dark spots have been lit in recent weeks, but more needs to be done,” he explained.

The MCE, however, pointed out that the attack took place close to a police station and the new market, raising serious questions about policing and law enforcement in the area.

Assembly Member for the Dobile Electoral Area, Zakaria Ibrahim, also confirmed details of the killing. He said the victim was a watchman at the Wa Regional Market and had suffered brutal injuries.

“Before we arrived, a knife was found lying on his chest. His face was badly smashed, with blood flowing from the forehead. From what we gathered, the attackers may have used a block to hit his head,” he said.

Mr. Ibrahim added that while Wa had experienced similar incidents in the past, this particular case was different because the attackers did not mutilate or remove any body parts.

The body has since been deposited at the Upper West Regional Hospital mortuary as police begin investigations.

This latest killing has revived fears among residents, who recall the 2022 spate of murders targeting private security guards in Wa. Many are now urging government and security agencies to act swiftly to prevent a possible resurgence of such violent crimes.