Ghana Police has intercepted a large cache of ammunition concealed aboard a commercial bus travelling from Accra to neighbouring Benin on Friday.
During a routine inspection around 3:30 a.m. at a checkpoint near Tadzewu in the Volta Region, officers discovered 132 cartons of shotgun cartridges hidden beneath passenger luggage. The seizure included 15,000 rounds of AAA cartridges and 18,000 rounds of BB cartridges, the Ghana Police Service confirmed.
The Hyundai bus, registered under number GR 8246-Q, was stopped at the Tadzewu-Mitsrikasa barrier, a known transit point for cross-border traffic. Authorities arrested the driver, 45-year-old Abasou Fousseni, and his co-driver, 38-year-old Salisu Jalilu. Both initially denied any knowledge of the illicit cargo.
However, police intelligence later indicated that Mr. Jalilu had personally loaded the ammunition onto the vehicle. He remains in custody as investigations continue and is scheduled to appear before court on Tuesday, April 22.
Mr. Fousseni was released on police inquiry bail and allowed to continue the journey with the remaining passengers.
In a statement signed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Felix Danku, the Ghana Police Service reaffirmed its commitment to tackling cross-border arms trafficking and maintaining security within the West African sub-region.
The route between Ghana and Benin is a key corridor for regional trade—but also, at times, for transnational criminal activity. Authorities say increased vigilance at checkpoints is part of a broader strategy to curb the flow of illicit arms in West Africa, where political instability and insurgencies have raised concerns about regional security.
Source:TheDotNews