More than 20 lives may have been lost in the renewed chieftaincy clash in Bawku, Upper East Region, according to residents. Officials put the death toll at 16.
The security situation is worsening as violence enters its sixth day since it began on Thursday night, October 24, 2024.
Reliable sources told the Ghana News Agency that the clash is a result of the reported return of a new chief enskinned by one of the factions involved in the protracted conflict.
A High Court had initially issued a warrant for the arrest of the new chief, deeming the enskinment illegal. However, a few days ago, the court withdrew the arrest warrant, paving the way for the chief’s return to the area. This sparked tension, which subsequently led to gunfire, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
The violent clash began with the alleged killing of an 11-year-old girl by one of the factions involved in the conflict.
Apart from the 20 people reportedly killed in Bawku Township, the incident has also been linked to last Sunday’s attack on the Bolgatanga-Tamale Highway near Walewale.
This incident involved unidentified armed gunmen who blocked the road and opened fire on travelers, killing eight people and setting some vehicles ablaze.
Currently, public facilities, including schools, healthcare facilities, and other state institutions, have been closed, making access to education, healthcare services, and other social services difficult.
Economic activities have also come to a standstill, with markets, shops, and places of public gathering deserted.
On Monday morning, some youths locked the offices of the Bawku Municipal Assembly, issuing an ultimatum to the government to resolve the issue within 24 hours. They threatened to burn down the building if their demands were not met.
Many residents, including social workers, have fled the town to seek refuge elsewhere, while the security services, comprising the police and military, are still working to protect lives and restore peace to the area.
Additionally, some women in Bawku took to the streets on Tuesday morning, burning tires to express their displeasure over what they described as a lack of commitment from major stakeholders to resolve the longstanding conflict.
“Our husbands, children, and future are being killed every day. We are suffering; we cannot go to our farms, our children cannot go to school, and our pregnant women cannot access health facilities. We are tired; we cannot continue like this,” lamented some of the aggrieved women.
“I can tell you that more than 50 people have died since Thursday, and the killing is continuing,” an eyewitness told the Ghana News Agency.
Mr. Hamza Amadu, the Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, declined to comment on the issue when contacted by the Ghana News Agency.
Meanwhile, in addition to deploying more security personnel to the area, the government, through the Ministry of the Interior, has imposed a curfew on Bawku Township and its environs as part of measures to bring the situation under control.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that more than 200 lives have been lost since the conflict resurfaced in November 2021.
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