Three arrested as Police crack down on Agona Swedru school games violence

The Central Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has confirmed the arrest of three suspects in connection with the violent disturbances that disrupted the District Schools Athletics Games held in Agona Swedru in the Central Region.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday, February 19, 2026, sent shockwaves through the educational community after a clash between students escalated into mob violence, leaving several students injured and hospitalised.

Speaking on AM Show on JoyNews on Monday, February 23, Central Regional Director of Education, Dr. Juliette Dufie Otami, disclosed that security agencies had made significant progress in their investigations over the weekend.

“About three people have been arrested as of yesterday. We are still investigating the matter,” she stated, adding that police are reviewing video footage and eyewitness accounts to identify other individuals who may have played a role in the violence.

Dr. Dufie Otami also provided reassurance to parents and school authorities, confirming that the students who sustained injuries during the chaos have all recovered.

“They have been discharged and they are okay; they have all been treated, and they have all been brought back to the schools, and they are okay now,” she said.

One of the most serious cases involved a student from Obrachire Senior High Technical School, who was reportedly the main target of a brutal mob attack.

Eyewitnesses recounted that the student was surrounded, pelted with stones, and beaten with sticks before bystanders intervened to calm the situation.

The violence reportedly stemmed from rising tensions between students of Obrachire Senior High Technical School and Swedru School of Business (SWESBUS), which had simmered throughout the athletics event before erupting during the track competitions.

Videos of the incident, widely circulated on social media, showed a bloodied student lying on the ground as a distressed crowd gathered around him—images that have since reignited national concerns about security lapses at inter-school sporting events.

In the wake of the incident, education stakeholders and parents are calling for stricter supervision, enhanced security presence, and clearer protocols to prevent a recurrence of such violence at future inter-school activities.

The Ghana Education Service has indicated that it will work closely with the police and school authorities as investigations continue, while additional arrests remain possible in the coming days.