Passenger movement along the Bolgatanga–Tamale stretch of the ECOWAS highway has been severely disrupted following a gun attack on a commercial bus at Wulugu in the North East Region, heightening fears over growing insecurity on the corridor.
Dozens of buses carrying passengers from Bawku, Tempane, Pusiga, Garu, Zebila, and Binduri have suspended their journeys, leaving hundreds of travellers stranded and uncertain about when safe passage will be restored.
The suspension follows the 14th January attack, in which gunmen opened fire on a bus travelling from Bawku, leaving several passengers injured. Since then, transport operators say they are unwilling to risk further attacks in the absence of adequate security.
Stranded passengers described extreme stress and anxiety, citing the lack of information and the fear of renewed violence.
The latest incident has reignited public anger over the absence of visible police patrols and abandoned security checkpoints along the Bawku–Tamale route. Security sources and community members say several police checkpoints on the corridor were withdrawn or left unmanned after repeated attacks by armed groups, creating a security vacuum now being exploited by criminals.
Residents say the abandoned checkpoints have not only weakened traveller protection but also emboldened armed attackers, increasing the frequency of ambushes and threatening the safety of commuters, traders, and commercial drivers.
Community leaders and transport unions are calling on the Ghana Police Service and national security authorities to urgently restore and reinforce checkpoints, deploy armed patrols, and provide escort services to ensure the safe resumption of travel on the troubled highway.
The Bolgatanga–Tamale road forms a critical section of the ECOWAS international transport corridor, linking northern Ghana to neighbouring countries. Continued insecurity, residents warn, could disrupt regional trade, restrict movement, and deepen economic hardship in already vulnerable communities.
Authorities are yet to issue an official response, as calls mount for immediate and visible security intervention.
By paqmediagh/Peter Quao Adattor
