The Ghana Police Service has deployed a specialised team of homicide investigators, crime scene experts and intelligence officers to Tamale following the deaths of three children whose bodies were discovered inside the boot of a vehicle.
The Inspector-General of Police has directed the team to support the Northern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Wisdom Lavoe as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths, which have shocked residents of the Koblimahagu Zoo area in the Tamale Metropolis.
The children have been identified as three-year-old Dauda Abdul Aziz, five-year-old Saani Alsharaf and seven-year-old Dauda Fadilan. Their bodies were discovered early Monday, October 5, 2026, inside a black Hyundai Tucson with registration number AS 1770-14. Editorial Standards
According to the Northern Regional Police Command, the children reportedly left their homes at about 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 4, to attend Islamic classes but did not return.
Their disappearance prompted a search by community members, who continued efforts to locate them. The search ended tragically at about 5:00 a.m. on Monday when the children were found inside the vehicle at Koblimahagu Zoo.
Police officers who arrived at the scene found the vehicle stuck in mud on a road leading to the area. A preliminary examination showed that the driver’s door and the rear passenger door behind the driver were open, while the other doors, including the boot where the bodies were found, were locked.
The circumstances surrounding how the children entered the vehicle and what happened to them remain unclear.
Police have consequently secured the vehicle for forensic examination as investigators seek evidence that could help reconstruct the events leading to the deaths. An autopsy is also expected to provide crucial information about the children’s cause of death and other circumstances that may assist the investigation.
The vehicle has been linked to a member of the Ghana Immigration Service. According to information provided to investigators, the owner said the vehicle had been stuck in the mud for approximately five days.
The vehicle owner has since been arrested and transported to Accra to assist the police investigation, according to separate reporting. The arrest should not, however, be interpreted as proof of criminal responsibility, as investigators are still working to establish the facts surrounding the incident. Editorial Ethics & Independence
The deployment of homicide investigators underscores the seriousness with which the Police Service is treating the deaths.
The specialist team is expected to work alongside the Northern Regional Police Command to examine the crime scene, analyse forensic evidence, gather intelligence and interview persons who may have relevant information about the children’s disappearance and deaths.
The investigation will also need to establish a clear timeline between the children’s departure from home and the discovery of their bodies. Determining where the children were before they were found, how they came into contact with the vehicle and how long they may have been inside it will be important to understanding what happened.
Authorities have not publicly established whether the deaths resulted from an accident, suffocation, foul play or another cause. Until forensic and autopsy findings are available, speculation about the circumstances should therefore be treated with caution.
The incident has generated concern within the Tamale community, particularly because the victims were young children who were reportedly on their way to Islamic classes when they disappeared.
The Police have appealed for calm as the investigation progresses and assured the public that all necessary investigative steps are being taken to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Further updates are expected as investigators make progress.
The case also highlights the importance of timely reporting when children go missing. In situations involving missing children, early notification to the Police and coordinated community searches can be critical to investigations and efforts to locate victims.
For the families of Dauda Abdul Aziz, Saani Alsharaf and Dauda Fadilan, the discovery has brought a devastating end to the search for their children while leaving several unanswered questions about what happened.
As the specialist police team begins its work, attention will focus on forensic evidence, the autopsy results, witness accounts and other investigative findings that could establish how the children died and whether any criminal offence was committed. Corrections Policy
For now, the Ghana Police Service has urged the public to remain calm and allow investigators to conduct their work without interference or premature conclusions.
The deaths remain under investigation, and any person who may have information relevant to the children’s disappearance or the vehicle is expected to assist the authorities as investigators seek to establish the full circumstances of the tragedy.