The Upper East Regional Police Command in Ghana conducted a follow-up operation in the Tilly Forest to recover weapons hidden by a robbery gang. The operation turned deadly after the police team came under gunfire at the location where suspects had led them. The incident occurred on September 19, 2026, in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
The operation was a sequel to the arrest and dismantling of a suspected robbery gang believed to be responsible for a series of attacks on motorbike riders and mobile money vendors across several communities in the region. Investigators had arranged for some of the detained suspects to guide them to a location in the Tilly Forest where the gang's firearms were said to be hidden.
Once the group arrived at the site, the police team came under gunfire from unknown persons, leaving three suspects with gunshot wounds. The injured suspects were named as Amadu Apiiga, 33; Philip Vokbilla, 20; and Bilal Adabode, also known as Sulley, who had reportedly led the team to the location. All three were rushed to hospital but were pronounced dead upon arrival.
Several other individuals believed to have also sustained gunshot wounds fled the scene before they could be identified. The two injured police officers are currently receiving medical attention. The police recovered a significant cache of items from the forest site, including two locally manufactured single-barrel guns and two pistols.
The recovered items also included eleven rounds of 9mm ammunition, eighteen BB live cartridges, three sharp cutlasses, four unregistered Yamaha Aerox scooters, a pair of black boots, one motorbike number plate, and two mobile phones. The gang has been linked to the killing of a police officer during a robbery attack at Zebilla on 8 February 2026.
Six other members of the suspected gang arrested prior to the forest operation remain in custody and are actively assisting investigators. Police said efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend additional members of the group, as well as to trace the origin of the weapons recovered.
The Upper East Regional Police Command urged members of the public to report any individual found with suspected gunshot wounds to the nearest police station, or to contact investigators with any information that could assist the inquiry. Authorities said the investigation is focused on establishing the full scope of the gang's criminal activities and ensuring all those connected to the robberies face justice.
Key points
- Three robbery suspects were killed in a shootout with police in Ghana's Tilly Forest.
- The suspects were part of a gang linked to a series of robbery attacks in the Upper East Region.
- Two police officers were injured during the operation, and several items were recovered from the forest site.
