British journalist shot dead in Ghana

A British journalist was shot dead by robbers in Ghana where he had been filming a documentary.

The body of Syed Taalay Ahmed, 31, who was working with the London-based TV channel MTA International, was being brought to the UK on Wednesday (1), media reports said.

Ahmed and his local colleague Omaru Abdul Hakim were aboard a vehicle on the Buipe-Tamale highway when it came under fire from the robbers on August 23.

They were travelling to the Ghanian capital of Accra after some documentary work in the north of the African country when the deadly ambush took place.

A number of armed men suddenly emerged from the bush and opened fire at the vehicle, deflating its tyres, a Ghanian police report said.

“Some of the bullets penetrated the vehicle and hit the two, who sustained gunshot wounds in the process. The armed men then robbed them of their mobile phones and an unspecified amount of money and fled,” the report, cited by Citi Newsroom, said.

A patrol team took Ahmed and Hakim to a hospital at Tamale where the British journalist was declared dead.

Hakim was undergoing treatment and the driver of the vehicle was unhurt in the attack.

Police reportedly killed two of the suspects in an exchange of fire and arrested four robbers.

Brought up at Hartlepool, Ahmed studied journalism at Sunderland University. He is survived by his wife, two young children, parents and siblings.

“As many are now aware, earlier this week a most devoted and sincere member of our MTA News team, Syed Taalay Ahmed sahib, lost his life whilst travelling abroad in Ghana on duty in the service of Islam,” MTA News tweeted.