The Greater Accra Regional Police Command has arrested and detained six to eight suspected land guards following a swift security operation that prevented a potentially deadly attack in the Greater Accra Region. The arrests, which occurred on Friday, January 10, 2026, underscore growing national concerns over land guard activities, gun violence, and public safety in Ghana.
According to a police brief issued on Sunday, the suspects were apprehended after the Command received a distress call at about 12:50 p.m., alerting officers to an imminent violent confrontation linked to a land dispute. Acting on the intelligence, police personnel were immediately dispatched to the location, where events escalated into a tense standoff.
Upon arrival, officers reportedly encountered armed individuals, leading to a brief exchange of gunfire. The police intervention successfully neutralized the threat and prevented what authorities say could have resulted in serious injuries or loss of life. Several suspects attempted to flee the scene but were overpowered and arrested.
During the operation, police retrieved a cache of high-powered firearms and ammunition, including an AK-47 rifle loaded with five rounds of ammunition and a Luger T9 pistol with additional rounds. The presence of such weapons has raised alarm within security circles, reinforcing fears about the increasing sophistication and firepower of land guards operating in urban and peri-urban Ghana.
Land guard activities have long been a persistent security and governance challenge in Ghana, particularly in Greater Accra, where rapid urbanisation, weak land administration systems, and high-value property disputes continue to fuel violence. Despite repeated government pledges to dismantle land guard networks, incidents involving armed groups enforcing illegal land claims remain widespread.
Security analysts argue that the latest arrests reflect both the scale of the problem and the urgency for stronger enforcement. The fact that assault rifles such as the AK-47 are in circulation among civilian criminal groups has renewed calls for tighter border security, improved intelligence gathering, and more aggressive prosecution of offenders.
The police have confirmed that investigations are ongoing to establish the full extent of the suspects’ operations, including whether they are linked to a wider criminal network or sponsored by powerful landowners. Authorities are also working to trace the source of the firearms and determine how such weapons entered civilian hands.
The arrests come at a time when public anxiety over insecurity, illegal firearms, and lawlessness is rising nationwide. Civil society groups and residents have repeatedly urged the government and security agencies to go beyond arrests and pursue systemic reforms, including fast-tracking land dispute resolution, strengthening courts, and enforcing existing anti–land guard laws.
The Greater Accra Regional Police Command has assured the public of its commitment to maintaining peace and has encouraged citizens to report suspicious activities promptly. The Command reiterated that it will not hesitate to use lawful force to protect lives and property.
As Ghana continues to grapple with land-related violence, the latest operation serves as a stark reminder that the fight against land guards is as much a governance issue as it is a security one—and that sustained political will will be required to finally end the menace.
