Pandemonium broke out at Nsuaem in the Western Region on Wednesday, when an angry mob numbering over 500 stormed the local police station, pelting stones and setting tyres ablaze after police detained a suspected child abductor.
According to a statement from the Western Central Regional Police Command, the violent incident followed the arrest of Sulley Moses, 25, who had been brought to the station by a group of men accompanied by two children aged seven and five.
The group alleged that they had caught the suspect loitering near the Nivo Filling Station, engaging the children in a suspicious conversation. When the children confirmed that the suspect had forcibly held the hand of one of them, the police detained him for further questioning.
Moments later, the situation turned chaotic. Word of the arrest spread quickly, drawing a furious mob armed with stones, sticks and other offensive weapons to the police station.
The irate crowd demanded the suspect’s release, blocked the Takoradi–Tarkwa highway, and unleashed mayhem on the security facility.
The mob’s rampage left two police vehicles and several impounded motorbikes smashed, while portions of the police building were damaged. The police, overwhelmed by the numbers, called for reinforcement. A combined team of police and military personnel eventually moved in to disperse the mob and restore calm.
In the melee, three police officers and four civilians sustained injuries and were rushed to the Nsuaem Government Hospital for treatment. One of the injured civilians was later transferred to the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Takoradi for further medical attention.
Police authorities have since transferred the suspect to the Tarkwa Regional Headquarters to continue investigations. Officers stationed at Nsuaem have also been relocated to safety, while the Nsuaem Police Station has been temporarily closed down.
The Regional Police Command has strongly condemned the mob action, describing it as a barbaric assault on law and order. The Command assured residents that all perpetrators will be tracked down and brought to justice.
“No amount of provocation can justify an attack on a police station,” the statement emphasized.
