Police kill three suspected armed robbers in Tilly Forest shootout, Upper East

Pinned summary · as of 16:45

Three men police describe as suspected armed robbers died in a gunfight with officers in the Tilly Forest in the Upper East Region. Police say the men had led a team to a spot where they claimed rifles were hidden, and the team was fired on when it got there. Two officers were wounded.

What we know

• Three men suspected of armed robbery were shot dead by police in the Tilly Forest during an operation run by the Upper East Regional Police Command. Police named them as Amadu Apiiga, aged 33, Philip Vokbilla and Bilal Adabode, also called Sulley.
• Police said suspects arrested earlier had taken officers to the forest to recover hidden rifles, and that the team was shot at on arrival. According to police, the three were pronounced dead at hospital.
• Two officers were wounded in the gunfire and are being treated.
• Other gang members believed to have been hit by gunfire got away from the scene, and police are working to trace them and to find out where the weapons came from.
• Police say six more people suspected of belonging to the group were detained earlier and are still helping investigators.
• The police asked residents, and in one report health facilities as well, to tell the nearest police station about anyone treated for gunshot wounds.
• Police said the operation turned up guns, ammunition, cutlasses and motorbikes that they believe are linked to the gang; Rainbow Radio Online and Opemsuo 104.7 give an itemised list including a BRUNI 92 pistol and four unregistered scooters.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Police allege the gang carried out robberies against mobile money vendors and motorbike riders across a string of towns in the Upper East, among them Benaba, Binduri, Pusiga, Garu and Zebilla. No court has ruled on this.
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  Police also allege the gang was involved in the death of a police officer in an 8 February 2026 robbery at Zebilla. The claim is still under investigation and has not been tested in court.
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  Reports differ on the age of Philip Vokbilla: Rainbow Radio Online gave 23 and Opemsuo 104.7 gave 22.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana Police Service alleged that Mobile money vendors and motorbike riders in border-area towns such as Garu, Pusiga and Zebilla, who carry cash and travel on quiet roads, are the people police say the gang preyed on. Residents in the district are being asked to report anyone with gunshot injuries, which puts local clinics and families in a position to help the search. The deaths and the alleged link to a slain officer are likely to draw scrutiny, and the facts of the shootout will matter for those who want a full account.