IGP's special operations Team averts bloodbath in Tamale… Rescue driver from angry mob

IGP's Special Operations Team intervened on Friday, March 20, 2026, in Tamale to rescue a commercial bus driver and a passenger from an angry mob. The incident occurred after Muslims returning from prayers got stuck in a traffic jam. The driver of a commercial bus with registration number GS 7420-22 deliberately blocked the road. The youth among the worshipers reportedly attempted to lynch the driver who had locked himself and a passenger inside the vehicle.

The driver and the passenger were taken to the Tamale Police Station and were being investigated for obstructing traffic. The driver's father intervened on their behalf, and they were subsequently released unconditionally to him. DSP Bawa Abdul Jalil confirmed the story to The Chronicle, stating that the incident highlights the thin line between order and chao and the crucial role of law enforcement in maintaining public safety.

The IGP’s Special Operations Team under ‘Operation Black Maria’ had earlier been deployed to bring sanity to Tamale. The team, together with the commander and his family, was en route to the Ambariya Sunni Community in Tamale to participate in the congregational Eid prayers. The team observed that a VIP vehicle had improperly positioned itself, obstructing one side of the road. Another driver operating a commercial coastal bus with registration number GS-7420-22 deliberately moved his vehicle into the same obstructed position previously occupied by the VIP vehicle. When approached by members of the Special Operations Team and instructed to reverse his vehicle, he responded with blatant defiance, arrogance, and verbal abuse, stating, "I have only one life to live; if you want, you can kill me, I will never move back." He proceeded to make politically charged and divisive remarks, stating, "President Mahama will go and then we will see our sizes; we will know who is bigger than who."