National Security Operatives Granted Bail over Alleged Land Guard Activities

The court, presided over by Her Ladyship Halimah El-Alawa Abdul Baasit, a High Court judge sitting with additional responsibility as a Circuit Court judge, admitted each of the accused persons to bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 with three sureties after they pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The accused are Nuhu Ibrahim Nigaale, Richard Cobbina also known as Shaka Zulu, Victor Owusu, Obed Odai, Felix Kofi, Abubakar Mohammed, Andrew Agyemang and Fatawu Bawa.

They are facing multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit crime namely engaging in prohibited land guard activities, contrary to Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and Section 7(1) of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999). They have also been charged with engaging in land guard activities without lawful authority.

Additionally, Nuhu Ibrahim Nigaale and Richard Cobbina Shaka Zulu face separate counts of possessing firearms and ammunition without lawful authority, contrary to Section 11 of the Arms and Ammunition Act, 1972 (NRCD 9), as well as unlawful discharge of firearms without authority.

According to the prosecution led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, the complainants are police officers from the Accra Regional Anti-Land Guard Unit.

On January 10, 2026, the Accra Regional Police Command received a distress call that land guards had invaded a parcel of land at Trasacco Valley and were firing weapons indiscriminately, posing a threat to residents.

Patrol teams dispatched to the area reportedly met the suspects fleeing upon sighting the police. The officers pursued and arrested the accused persons, while other alleged accomplices escaped.

A search conducted on the suspects led to the retrieval of a Luger pistol loaded with seven rounds of 9mm ammunition and a Regard MC pistol loaded with twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition. An AK-47 rifle was also found abandoned at the scene.

The accused persons were subsequently charged and arraigned before the court. All of them pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel for the accused persons disputed the facts presented by the prosecution and argued that the charges lacked essential particulars for adequate preparation of their defence.

Counsel further prayed the court to admit the accused to bail, noting that they are public officers with fixed places of abode, families, and sureties of substance, and are not flight risks.

The prosecution did not oppose the bail application but urged the court to impose conditions that would ensure the accused persons’ availability for trial.

In granting bail, the court ordered that two of the three sureties for each accused must be public servants residing within the court’s jurisdiction and earning not less than GH¢5,000, while the third surety must be justified.

The court further directed the accused persons to deposit their Ghana Cards at the court registry and report to the police once every week until otherwise directed.

The court ordered the prosecution to file its disclosures and witness statements ahead of a Case Management Conference scheduled to commence on March 2, 2026.