Frightened residents in Wa in the Upper West Region are demanding the immediate transfer of the Regional Police Commander and other District Police Commanders following the rise in armed robbery cases in the Municipality.

They also want all security personnel who have worked and stayed in the Municipality for more than five years to be transferred because according to them, they have every cause to believe that some of the officers have connived with the criminals to betray informants.

The residents indicated that they are living in fear due to frequent robberies and also find it risky to take a stroll in the streets at night for fear of being robbed at gun point.

Motorbike theft has reportedly become a common practice in the area. These concerns were raised by the residents at a Town Hall meeting in Wa on Thursday which was organised by Action for Sustainable Development, a Non-Governmental Organisation.

The residents recounted that the robbers frequently terrorize travellers along the major roads in the Region.

The victims of the robbery are sometimes maimed or killed and according to them, the situation is undermining socio-economic development in the Region.

They said a driver with the Department of Lotteries and a teacher who was also an aspiring assembly member, were both murdered after they reported an armed robbery case to the Police.

They expressed disappointment in the operations of Police in the Municipality, saying: “We have lost trust in them”.

The Wa Municipal Police Commander (DSP) Stephen Tetteh in a rebuttal, blamed the Police for their inability to carry out investigations into criminal cases.

He challenged residents to come out openly and name and shame any Police officer who is conniving with criminals in the Region.

Mr. Issahaku Nuhu-Putiaha, the Wa Municipal Chief Executive said armed robbery cases were on the ascendency and must be discouraged.