Former President, John Dramani Mahama has urged government to take urgent measures to address the surge incidents of highway robberies in the country.

This follows the killing of Mr Taalay Ahmed, a journalist with the London-Based Muslim Ahmadiyya Television International (MTA International) by suspected armed robbers on the Tamale – Buipe road in the Savannah Region.
According to reports, suspected armed robbers attacked the vehicle he was travelling with last week.

Mr. Mahama in a press release indicated that “It is truly ironic that a journalist working on a documentary on peace and security should die from an incident of highway robbery, which has become symptomatic of the violent crime currently consuming our country.“

The now rampant criminal activity of armed robbers in the northern parts of the country is a cause for great concern, as they are fast becoming a daily occurrence. In recent times, these armed robbers have become so emboldened that they not only terrorize road users in the night, but in the daytime as well.

“Indeed, just days after this tragic incident, armed robbers, according to news reports, in broad daylight, attacked motorists travelling on the Bolgatanga-Walewale highway robbing them of all their valuables.”

He further urged “the government to urgently address the worrying development,” and among other things it wants it to provide all the needed support to the country’s police service to be able to deliver on its mandate of protecting the people.

“We, therefore, call on the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia government to take urgent steps to address the deteriorating security situation in the country so that our people can feel safe to go about their daily activities,” John Mahama added.