A key suspect in the murder and disappearance of two youths from Kandeu has died after falling ill while in police custody, the Upper West Regional Police Command has confirmed.
The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Abu Tijani, popularly known as “Master-One” and described by police as the youth leader of Wechau, died at the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Hospital in Wa after reportedly complaining of a severe headache.
Tijani was arrested on Saturday, July 25, after spending months on the police wanted list. According to police, he had been evading arrest since May 11, 2026, and allegedly resisted arrest when officers apprehended him, resulting in injuries to two police personnel before he was subdued.
Police said the suspect admitted during interrogation to his involvement in the murder of the two Kandeu youths, whose deaths were confirmed on November 23, 2025.
According to investigators, Tijani told police the victims were initially buried in Wechau before their bodies were later exhumed and secretly reburied across the Black Volta River in Burkina Faso to conceal the crime.
The suspect subsequently led investigators to the original burial site, located about three kilometres west of Wechau towards the Black Volta. Police excavated the area but found no human remains, a finding they said was consistent with his claim that the bodies had been relocated days after the initial burial.
The Regional Police Command said Tijani fell ill on Monday while being escorted to Nakore to assist investigators in identifying an alleged accomplice. During the journey, he reportedly complained of a severe headache and was immediately taken to the SDA Hospital in Wa at about 1:00 p.m. for medical treatment.
Despite efforts by medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at 4:37 p.m. His body has since been deposited at the Upper West Regional Hospital mortuary, where it will undergo preservation and an autopsy.
Following the incident, the Upper West Regional Police Commander, DCOP Francis Yiribaare, led a delegation to meet the Paramount Chief of Wechau and the suspect’s family to convey the condolences of the Inspector-General of Police.
The Regional Commander briefed them on the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death and appealed to residents to remain calm.
“The Police Professional Standards Bureau has commenced a transparent and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death,” he said.
At the family’s request, police escorted relatives to the Upper West Regional Hospital mortuary to identify and inspect the body.
The Police Command has urged the public to refrain from speculation and allow due process to take its course as investigations continue into both the double murder and the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death.
The two youths from Kandeu were initially reported missing before their murders were confirmed in November 2025. Their bodies have yet to be recovered.
