On Friday, October 18, 2024, the regular Islamic prayers at the Sunyani Central Mosque were disrupted. A swarm of bees invaded the mosque, causing chaos and panic among the hundreds of congregants. The incident occurred during the usual Friday prayers, prompting the congregants to flee the mosque in fear.
Fortunately, personnel from the Bono Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service arrived quickly. The Ghana Ambulance Service also responded promptly. They managed to mitigate the situation. Although the fire service personnel rescued some of the trapped Muslims, many congregants were not spared from the chaos. This was particularly true for the elderly and women.
The attack also extended to shop owners and petty traders in the vicinity of the central mosque along the Sunyani-Zongo one-way, as the bees spread into the neighborhood.
Assistant Divisional Officer Grade One (ADO1) Kwame Adomako Antwi, the Bono Regional Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, confirmed the incident and mentioned that some of the fire personnel were also attacked by the bees. He assured that the victims had received medical attention.
ADOI explained that the fire service initially received a distress call reporting a fire outbreak at the mosque, but upon arrival, they discovered that it was actually a bee invasion.
Some of the Muslims affected expressed both concern and amazement about the unprecedented invasion, describing it as a terrifying experience.