Residents affected by the recent attack in Salugu, located in the North Gonja District of the Savannah Region, are appealing to the government for support after losing all their personal belongings.
The victims, predominantly women and children, find themselves without food and shelter, grappling to salvage anything they can from the ruins left by the attackers.
They are thus calling for swift action to ensure justice prevails, emphasizing that this is not the first time they have experienced such attacks.
On the 26th of December, 2023, unidentified individuals on motorcycles reportedly invaded the farming community, setting ablaze fifty houses along with food supplies and personal belongings.
Despite a visit by the North Gonja District police to the area, no arrests have been made yet.
The affected population comprises sixty-two children, thirty adult females, and twenty adult males, all of whom have suffered significant losses. The victims recount how their hard-earned harvest from the 2022-2023 farming season, stored in their homes, was not spared in the ruthless attack.
During Myjoyonline’s visit to Salugu, scenes of distraught women were observed, desperately trying to salvage whatever they could from the charred remains of their belongings. Sixty-six-year-old widow Karimatu Alhassan, was found alone in her burnt room, in tears as she attempted to gather anything she could find.
“What pains me the most is that I have no husband or son around. The little that I harvested at home would have lasted me through the dry season, but now, everything is gone. It’s a big problem for me because how do I feed,” bemoaned Karimatu Alhassan.
Another victim, Kasim Adam, recounted losing everything, including his flat-screen television, bed, mattress, clothes, and other valuables. He alleged that he recognized those responsible for the attack, claiming that when he tried to intervene, two policemen pushed him away and fired warning shots.
Further investigations by Myjoyonline revealed that the attack in Salugu and Daboya communities stemmed from a dispute between a farmer, Alhassan Abu, and a herdsman.
The farmer had requested compensation for the damages caused by the herdsman’s cattle, leading to a confrontation.
The herdsman refused to pay, prompting the farmer to take custody of one of the cows, which was later reported to the police. The police have since taken custody of the cow in Daboya.