Clash in Bolga leaves 1 dead: Factions in chieftaincy dispute cited
One person died and eight others sustained various degrees of gunshot and machetes wounds following clashes between two factions in the Bolgatanga chieftaincy dispute at Bukeri, a suburb of Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, last Sunday.
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The feuding factions, armed with offensive weapons such as bottles, clubs, stones and cudgels, attacked each other and destroyed food items, canopies and other items.
The injured persons are currently receiving treatment at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital.
One unregistered Yamaha motorbike belonging to one of the victims receiving treatment at the hospital and a Toyota RAV 4 vehicle, with registration number GN 6786-12, were vandalised.
A combined team of police and military personnel has intensified patrols in the municipality to avert any reprisals.
Briefing
Briefing the media yesterday, the Upper East Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Simon Afeku, said the violence emanated from a misunderstanding between the two factions during a funeral last Sunday.
He, however, could not disclose the identity of the deceased or establish what exactly caused his death.
Mr Afeku stated that the police found at the scene 19 AA cartridges, one double-edged sword in a scabbard and a smock, all concealed in a black plastic bag.
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He said the attacks did not end at the funeral grounds but were carried over to other places outside the grounds.
According to the commander, the timely intervention of the police brought the situation under control and indicated that perpetrators of the violence would be prosecuted if found culpable.
"We will go all out to arrest the perpetrators and residents should volunteer information that will lead to their arrest," Mr Afeku added.
No curfew
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Albert Abongo, told the Daily Graphic after a meeting of the Upper East Regional Security Council that no curfew had been imposed.
He warned factions in the dispute to exercise restraint because the chieftaincy problem was being addressed by the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs and other appropriate bodies.
Background
In May last year, controversy rocked Bolgatanga when two persons were enskinned at separate ceremonies as Bolga Nabas.
They are Mr Raymond Alafia Abilba, 50, a lawyer, whose stool name is Naba Awogeya-Lebna Abilba IV, and Mr Joseph Apakre, 35, a sales executive of the Ghana Cement Company (GHACEM) Limited in charge of the Upper East and Northern regions, whose stool name is Naba Abeka Noge Buuri Maltinga.
The skin became vacant in September 2013 following the demise of the Bolga Naba, Martin Abilba III.
The Judicial Committee of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs is yet to come out with its ruling regarding who the legitimate chief of Bolgatanga is.
The case has been adjourned a number of times since hearing began last year.