The Wa Municipality in Ghana’s Upper West Region has been thrown into shock after the gruesome killing of a night security guard in the Dobile Electoral Area. The victim, identified as Yahya Issa, popularly known as Soja, was found dead in the early hours of Saturday, September 20, 2025.
Incident Details
According to eyewitness accounts, the victim worked as a night watchman at the Wa Regional Market. Assembly Member for the Dobile Electoral Area, Zakaria Ibrahim, who visited the scene, said a knife was found on the victim’s chest. His face had been smashed with a heavy object, suspected to be a block, leaving blood streaming from his forehead.
Unlike previous violent incidents in Wa, no body parts were removed in this case, though residents recalled a similar wave of attacks in 2022 that targeted night guards.
Official Reactions
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Issah Nura Danwana, confirmed the incident and described it as deeply disturbing. He acknowledged that residents had long raised concerns about security in Wa.
“Street lights remain a major issue. We have worked on 378 lights and repaired 166, but there is still a deficit of about 400. We are following up with the Ministry of Energy to ensure more lights are fixed,” the MCE noted.
However, he stressed that poor lighting alone could not explain the crime, pointing out that the murder scene was just 400 meters from a police station and close to the new market.
Police Action
The body has since been conveyed to the Upper West Regional Hospital mortuary for autopsy, while police have launched investigations into the killing. Authorities are yet to make any arrests.
Rising Security Concerns
This latest killing adds to growing fears of insecurity in Wa Municipality. In 2022, a series of similar murders targeting security guards sent shockwaves through the community and triggered heavy police deployments.
Residents are now demanding urgent security interventions to prevent a possible resurgence of violent attacks in the region.
