An officer with the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has been arrested in connection with the recent AK-47 live ammunition intercepted in the Ashanti Region.
The officer, identified as AICO1 Ahmed Abdul Samad, a native of Nalerigu stationed at the Paga Sector Command, was taken into custody by the Upper East Regional Police Command.
His arrest follows the discovery of 2,600 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition during a routine highway interception that has sent ripples through the national security apparatus.
The genesis of the arrest dates back to December 26, 2025, at the Kantanso–Asankare Police Barrier in the Ashanti Region.
Officers on duty flagged down an OA Bus (Registration GT 5771-18) travelling from Accra toward Paga.
A meticulous search of the vehicle revealed a hidden cache that horrified the inspectors:
- 2,600 live AK-47 rounds concealed in two containers within the bus.
- A tactical gear bag stashed beneath the driver’s seat containing two bulletproof plates, a black helmet, and tactical long boots.
- Additional items: An electric diffuser, a disco bulb, and a ballistic helmet.
While the driver, Kwame Afram, and his mate, Godfred Essel, were immediately detained, the paper trail quickly led investigators to the northern border town of Paga.
During a rigorous interrogation, AICO1 Samad denied any criminal intent, instead offering a logistical explanation for the items.
The officer claimed that following his transfer from the Tema Regional Immigration Headquarters (where he served as a dispatch rider) to Paga in June 2025, he had left several personal gear items behind.
According to Samad, he contacted a colleague identified only as Isaac, an officer at the GIS Headquarters in Accra, requesting that his “old black long boot and body armour plate” be sent to his new post.
However, the discovery of 2,600 lethal rounds alongside the requested tactical gear has left police sceptical.
Investigators are now probing whether Isaac exists or if the officer’s gear was used as a cover for a much more dangerous arms-trafficking operation.
This arrest comes at a critical time for Ghana’s security forces.
The Ministry of Interior recently issued a deadline of January 15, 2026, for the voluntary surrender of illegal firearms.
The transit of such a large quantity of ammunition toward the North—specifically through Walewale and Paga—has raised red flags about the potential arming of criminal syndicates or insurgents across the border.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command and the Upper East Command are now collaborating on a joint operation to track the origin of the 2,600 bullets.
