Chaos over Tafo cemetery: Zongo youth clash with traditional authorities (updated)
Some residents of the Muslim community at Tafo in Kumasi on Wednesday afternoon clashed with some loyalists of the Tafo traditional council over disagreements on a piece of land at the Tafo cemetery.
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The clashes were said to have resulted in injuries to a number of people. One person was confirmed dead. He was reportedly stabbed.
The rioters held machetes, stones, metals, hammers and other dangerous implements and patrolled the main Tafo road bringing vehicular traffic to a standstill.
A number of vehicles and other properties including houses were reportedly vandalized. Some vehicles were set ablaze by the rioters.
A mosque was reportedly set ablaze.
The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has since imposed a 6pm to 6am curfew in the area starting Wednesday night.
The clashes were said to have been ignited by an order from the Tafo chief for a fence wall which was being constructed around the Muslim section of the Tafo cemetery to be demolished.
According to reports, the Tafo chief claimed he was not informed about the construction, and so asked that the construction be halted.
On Wednesday, the chief was said to have sent men to demolish the fence but members of the Muslim community protested, resulting in the clashes.
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The situation remained volatile as of 3pm. Police and military personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order.
Kumasi Mayor, Mr Kojo Bonsu said REGSEC discussed the issue Wednesday morning only for the factions to riot in the afternoon.
He said the police and military have taken control over the situation and there would be REGSEC meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss whether the curfew should be on for just one day or more days.
A spokesperson for the traditional authorities told journalists that the cemetery was allocated to the Muslim community in 1930.
Recently, they [Muslim community] decided to erect the fence but extended it to other areas which had not been allocated to them where other people [auto mechanics] were using for their trading activities.
He said when the matter was brought to the attention of the chief, he asked them to halt the construction and provide documentation showing that the new areas they were encroaching had been allocated to them.
For almost a year, they have not been able to provide any documentation but continued to construct the fence, he said.
He alleged that the chief was assaulted at a meeting to resolve the matter hence the auto mechanics protested further construction of the fence.
Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh
Below are some images showing the destruction in the area
Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh