How four people including NHIA staff, headteacher and chief killed as gunmen open fire at NHIA office

Fear and grief have engulfed the town of Garu in the Upper East Region after unidentified
gunmen launched a deadly daylight attack on Monday morning, killing four people and leaving
several others injured.

The horrifying incident, which occurred around 10 a.m. near the district office of the National
Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), sent residents fleeing for their lives as gunfire echoed through
the community.

Eyewitnesses recounted that four armed men riding on two motorbikes stormed the NHIA office
and opened fire indiscriminately. Two of the assailants reportedly wore smocks and helmets,
while the others had their faces covered with masks.

“They arrived suddenly and started shooting at anyone they saw. Two people were shot instantly — one inside the NHIA office, who was a staff member, and another outside the premises,” said Edward Ndebugri, a former Presiding Member of the Garu District Assembly and current Assembly Member for Kugri.

The gunmen continued their rampage beyond the NHIA office, targeting bystanders, teachers, and schoolchildren in the vicinity. In the process, they shot dead the headteacher of the Garu G/A Primary School, who was trying to usher students to safety.

As they fled the area, the attackers encountered a man heading to the market — later identified as a local chief — and shot him dead as well. Witnesses say the gunmen also seized a motorbike before escaping.

“They chased people who were running from the scene. When one of the teachers fell, they shot him at close range,” Mr. Ndebugri narrated. “The whole town was thrown into chaos.”

After the attack, the assailants fled through the Garu Presbyterian Hospital area, passed by the Garu Catholic Junior High School, and escaped along the Kugri-Songo road. Their current whereabouts remain unknown.

By the afternoon, heavily armed police and military personnel had been deployed across Garu to restore calm and prevent further violence. Security officers were seen guarding key installations, including the NHIA office and the Presbyterian Hospital.

“The whole community is traumatized. We have never experienced such violence before,” said Assembly Member Ndebugri. “We are pleading with the security agencies to act swiftly and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Hospital officials confirmed that four people had died, while several others were receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at the Garu Presbyterian Hospital.

As investigations continue, residents are calling for enhanced security in the area to prevent a recurrence of what many describe as the bloodiest attack in Garu’s history.