Toy guns for vuvuzelas, ballons: New trend in Ghana’s Kumasi

Muhamad Yehia

Just a few hours after the Ghana Police Service arrested 26 persons for brandishing and indiscriminate firing of toy guns in a public place, the youth in Kumasi have switched from the use of the toy weapon to vuvuzelas and ballons.

A trend emerged in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, where the youth turned the streets, malls, and neighborhoods into battlegrounds with toy guns, sparking mixed reactions from the public.

Videos circulating on X (formerly Twitter) showed groups of young people engaging in mock battles, sometimes mimicking robbery scenarios. The toy guns, some fitted with firecrackers that light up when fired, added a sense of drama to the spectacle.

The matter got the attention of the police, and some individuals were arrested for breaching public peace. To avert arrest, the youth have begun a new trend that many believe to be noise pollution.

On the streets, they play the vuvuzelas for no apparent reason

Meanwhile, the 26 suspects are currently assisting with investigations and will be put before court to face justice.

A quantity of toy guns have been retrieved from these suspects as part of the police investigation into the menace. Police special operations are currently underway to arrest others involved in this act

The police have cautioned the youth to desist from this act as it constitutes the offence of offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace contrary to Section 207 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) amongst others.