The recent unsolved murder cases in the Ashanti Region have compelled the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to launch a barrage of tough new security measures aimed at restoring calm and preventing further violence in the community.

The Council, following a crunch meeting on July 24, released a statement on Friday, July 25, ordering a ban on the usage of motorbikes after 7 pm. REGSEC said the interventions are intended to maintain public order and ensure that justice is served in the wake of the tragic killing.

“In response to the recent security incident involving the fatal shooting of Alhaji Abdul-Malik Azenbge, which occurred at Asewase on Tuesday, 22nd July, the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday, 24th July 2025, to assess the situation and determine immediate action.”

No motorbikes shall be permitted on the roads after 7:00 pm until further notice. The use of unlicensed motorbikes or motorbikes without lights is strictly prohibited. Also, it is prohibited to wear a smock while riding a motorcycle. The Council believes it has become a hiding place for deadly weapons used in the perpetration of such heinous crimes.

Aside from the ban on the movement of motorbikes after 7 pm, REGSEC also ordered the cancellation of all inter-tribal football competitions until further notice. The inter-tribal football competition in Kumasi was actively underway until July 24.

The inter-tribal football competition was officially put into effect on Saturday, June 29, 2024, with the opening match between Zabarma and Dagomba at the Madina Zongo astroturf in Accra. This marked the beginning of a month-long tournament targeted at promoting peace, unity, and inter-tribal harmony ahead of Ghana’s 2024 elections. The inter-tribal competition, according to sources, was underway in Kumasi, and now, following REGSEC’s order, it is expected to be suspended indefinitely.

The statement further added that heavy security shall be deployed and surveillance increased at places identified as hotspots of violence. “There will be a strong security presence in identified hotspots, involving joint Police and Military patrols, to safeguard lives and property,” the statement said.

The Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene who signed the statement, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to security and justice, urging the public to support ongoing investigations.

“We also urge the public to support the ongoing investigations. The doors of the Security Services remain open to receive credible information that can assist in identifying and apprehending those responsible. The REGSEC remains ready and committed to serving the public in line with its mandate,” the statement concluded.

The Kusasi community in the Ashanti Region and the entire traditional leadership of the Kusaug area were thrown into a state of mourning following the assassination of Naa Abdul-Malik Azenbe, the Kusasi Chief in the Ashanti Region and the Kaadi Divisional Area Chief in the Binduri District of the Upper East Region, on Tuesday night, July 22.

He was murdered by some unknown assailants at Asawase, according to media reports. It is said that some gunmen on separate motorbikes approached the chief and fatally shot him at close range. The attackers fled the scene, and reports indicate that the Police have begun a manhunt for the culprits to bring justice to the people of Kusasi.

“We therefore urge the public to remain calm and call on anyone with relevant information to contact the nearest police station or reach us through our emergency lines: 191, 18555, and 112,” a statement reported to have been shared by the Police admonished.

The Police shared details of where the Kusasi Chief passed on. Naa Abdul-Malik Azenbe, according to GraphicOnline, was “initially rushed to the Manhyia District Hospital and later referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.”

DCOP Mr Emmanuel Teye-Cudjoe, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander; ACP Mr Ebenezer Boyor, the Regional Crime Officer; and a team of officers are said to have visited the crime scene. At the scene, the police retrieved two empty shells believed to have been shot from an AK-47 assault rifle.

The murder of Naa Abdul-Malik Azenbe has sent shockwaves to many and left several personalities in sorrow. Member of Parliament for Asawase, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, who also doubles as the Minister for Interior, expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.

“As a Member of Parliament for Asawase and on behalf of the good people of the constituency, I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family, the Kusasi community in the Ashanti Region, and the entire traditional leadership of the Kusaug area,” he wrote.

The legislator noted that “this heinous act is not only an attack on a revered traditional authority but also a grievous wound to the peace and security we all cherish.” He further assured the family and the people of Ghana that the security agencies are fully committed to ensuring that the perpetrators of this crime are swiftly apprehended and made to face the full rigours of the law.

“We remain resolute in protecting every citizen and upholding the rule of law. I call on all residents, particularly within the Asawase constituency and its environs, to remain calm and cooperate with the security agencies by providing any information that may assist in the ongoing investigations,” he added.

He prayed for the eternal rest of the late Naa Abdul-Malik Azenbe and strength for his family and community during this difficult time. “Let us all stand together to ensure that justice is served and that peace continues to prevail in our beloved constituency and nation,” Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak admonished.

According to reports, distant relatives, sympathisers, distinguished personalities, residents, and neighbours last Wednesday morning thronged the residence of the late chief to mourn with the bereaved family. Also, security at the residence of the late chief has been beefed up with personnel of the Ghana Police Service. The Kusasi people are an ethnic group primarily located in the Bawku Traditional Area of Upper East Region.

Following the chief’s death, a 60-year-old man, identified as Mohammed Madi Suleman, was shot and killed by unknown assailants. According to reports, the armed men were riding on a motorbike and opened fire on the victim, who was entering his pickup truck after eating at a food joint. The police are investigating these two incidents.

Amid investigations, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, visited Asawase on a fact-finding mission. The IGP has pledged to apprehend the perpetrators. In his engagement with the police officers in the Ashanti Region, he tasked them to stay vigilant.

“You have to be vigilant at all times. And when they realise that this one did not work they can use tricycle or vehicle to commit the same crime. If offence can occur in the day, it can occur in the night. The first one occurred in the night after 8 o’clock in the night. And then this very one at Sabon Zongo, it was in a hot afternoon,” he cautioned.