Armed men raid Kwahu Palace as Queen Mother disappears

Tension is rising in Kwahu after armed men stormed the Abene palace and the Queen Mother vanished during a dawn raid on Monday.

The Paramount Chief, Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng III, confirmed that gunfire erupted around 4:30 a.m. as heavily armed men forced their way into the palace where Nana Adwoa Gyamfua III resides.

He said the attackers claimed to be security personnel, yet their identities and mandate remain uncertain, creating deep suspicion among residents and palace elders.

Several people were taken from the palace during the operation, and the queen mother was later discovered missing.

The chief explained that he contacted the Kwahu Police Commander immediately after the raid. According to him, the commander denied authorizing any operation and insisted he did not know the men involved.

This response intensified anxiety within the traditional area, as it indicated that the attackers were not acting under recognized regional command.

The chief said accounts he has received point to his destooled predecessor, Daasebre Akuamoah Agyapong II, as the figure believed to have led the intrusion.

Residents reported hearing continuous gunshots inside the palace during the raid. Some said the attackers wore uniforms resembling those of national security operatives, a detail that has unsettled the community even further.

Witnesses claimed the palace was surrounded and movement was restricted as the armed men moved in groups through the compound. Shortly after the incident, it emerged that the Kwahuhene’s official Toyota Land Cruiser had also been taken and tracked on a route toward Accra.

Both the Nkawkaw and Kwahu Divisional Police Commands stated that they had no notice of any security operation in the area. Their denial has fueled concerns about impersonation, unauthorized militia activity, or attempts to exploit the ongoing chieftaincy tensions in Kwahu.

The police have yet to formally issue a press statement confirming the royal raid.