The Dagbon regent and Acting President Dagbon Traditional Council has condemned the violence by people he describes as lawless and criminals at the Agbogbloshie market on Tuesday.

In a press release Wednesday, Kampakuya-Na Andani Yakubu Abdulai, expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family and wished the injured speedy recovery.

Conflicting reasons have been given for the clashes at Agbogloshie which claimed two lives.

Eyewitnesses said a man from one of the ethnic groups allegedly stole a mobile phone and was beaten by others in the opposing ethnic group. The suspect then reported the assault to his kinsmen who went on a rampage in retaliation.

The police are yet to give an official account of what actually happened.

On Wednesday a battalion of police and military men were seen moving about in the community trying to maintain law and order but that is not completely reassuring to the residents.

Some of the residents complained about what they believe to be a slow response by the police and the military.

To this developments, the Dagbon regent said “It is unfortunate and sad for the police and the press to cover criminal actions with tribal or ethnic connotations. We live in a country where there is rule of law and respect for human rights of individuals.”

“Let me take this opportunity to say that Dagomba’s and Konkombas are peace loving people and they are not at war with each other. Therefore, what happened at Agbogbloshie in Accra should not be generalized and linked to any tribe,” the statement added.

Read the statement below:

CONDEMNATION OF THE VIOLENCE AT AGBOGBLOSHIE MARKET IN ACCRA

As the Regent of the Great Dagbon Kingdom and Acting President Dagbon Traditional Council, on my own behalf and on behalf of the Chiefs, Elders and Citizens of Dagbon, I wish to strongly condemn the acts of violence perpetuated by some lawless people and criminals at the Agbogbloshie market on the 11th day of April, 2017.

The information received so far indicates that some people have died and others sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of the violent conduct of some individuals. I wish to express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family. I also wish the injured speedy recovery.

The cause of the violence is that someone is alleged to have stolen an item from a market woman and was beaten up by a mob. Subsequently, that person led some people to another person’s shop and pointed him out as one of those who beat him up.

It is from here that the violence and destruction of lives and properties started. The sequence of events as narrated clearly points out to acts and conducts which amount to the commissioning of crime and lawlessness.

It is important for Ghanaians to appreciate the need to distinguish crime from other considerations such as ethnicity or tribe in order to allow the law to deal with persons who commits crime in our country.

It is unfortunate and sad for the police and the press to cover criminal actions with tribal or ethnic connotations. We live in a country where there is rule of law and respect for human rights of individuals.

Therefore, the police, the press and the members of the general public should recognize and treat anyone who commits crime as a criminal who is acting on his/her own accord and not to link him/her to a tribe.

In my capacity as the Regent of Dagbon and Acting President Dagbon Traditional Council, I wish to reiterate that there is cordial relationship between Dagomba’s and other ethnic groups within the kingdom.

Let me take this opportunity to say that Dagomba’s and Konkombas are peace loving people and they are not at war with each other. Therefore, what happened at Agbogbloshie in Accra should not be generalized and linked to any tribe.

I am calling on the police to arrest all persons involve in perpetuating the violence for investigation and prosecution in accordance with laws of the country.

SIGNED

REGENT OF DAGBON

(KAMPAKUYA-NA ANDANI YAKUBU ABDULAI)