Four killed in Bimoba, Mamprusi/Konkomba conflict
The simmering tension that followed last Thursday’s ethnic clashes in some communities near Sakogu in the East Mamprusi District in the Northern Region, leading to the death of a 28-year-old man, Sakuaka Binja, has now spread to Nakpanduri and surrounding areas.
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The situation, which has degenerated into an all-out conflict between the Bimobas, on the one hand, and a group of Mamprusis and Konkombas, on the other, has led to the burning down of about 60 houses and several properties belonging to the feuding factions.
Four people have been confirmed dead, with four others sustaining varied degrees of injury, as many inhabitants, especially women and children, are fleeing those areas to safer communities.
According to the Northern Regional Police Crime Officer, Alhaji Mahama Arhin, so far 14 suspects, including two assembly members, had been arrested in connection with the disturbances.
While seven of them are currently in custody in Tamale, the rest are being processed at Gambaga for onward transfer to the Northern Regional Police Headquarters for prosecution.
Alhaji Arhin disclosed that a number of arms and ammunition, including three AK 47 assault rifles, four single-barrelled guns, a pistol and 73 rounds of G3 and AK 47 bullets had been retrieved from the conflict zone.
He explained that the latest incident occurred on Saturday and Sunday.
“When a team of police officers and soldiers were patrolling the area to ensure law and order, we heard sporadic shootings and saw some of the arsonists burning the houses and running into the bush as we pursued them,” he said.
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At the moment, he indicated, the situation was seemingly calm and volatile, for which reason additional security personnel, including soldiers, had been dispatched to the area to ensure sanity.
At dawn last Wednesday, the deceased, Binja, was allegedly shot and killed by some unknown assailants at Bombilla near Sakogu.
That triggered reprisal attacks from his kinsmen, leading to the burning down of houses the following Thursday in which three persons sustained injuries.
Even though Sakuaka’s death seems to have sparked the current clashes, there have been some underlining disagreements and acrimonies over land ownership and chieftaincy disputes among the Bimobas, Konkombas and Mamprusis in the Nakpanduri, Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo and some parts of the East Mamprusi districts over the years.
And almost every year these misunderstandings lead to internecine conflicts which cause death and destruction of properties.