8 Police officers injured in renewed chieftaincy clash at Sampa
Eight police officers have been injured and several shops set ablaze at Sampa in the Jaman North District in the Bono Region, following renewed clashes in the chieftaincy dispute.
One of the officers, said to have sustained a serious head injury, was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi for further treatment.
A press release signed by the Bono Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Inspector Thomas Akeelah, said seven police personnel who were rushed to the Sampa Government Hospital had been treated and discharged.
The release explained that some of the officers sustained gunshot injuries, while others got injured when the service vehicle with registration number GP 686 veered into a ditch during the crossfire.
The Police said the violent clash, which occurred at the Sampa main market, was between two rival factions, Sammordua and Samgba Gyafla.
He said the Police received a distress call about an exchange of gunfire between the factions, which also led to the burning of several stores in the market area.
It explained that a team of Police personnel was immediately deployed to the scene to restore calm and escort a Ghana National Fire Service tender and an ambulance, which was carrying a pregnant woman to a hospital.
"The Police team, however, got caught up in the exchange of gunfire from the armed groups," the release said.
At 11:47 a.m. yesterday (Oct. 6), Chief Inspector Akeelah, in a telephone conversation with the Daily Graphic, said no policeman was killed in the violent clash.
"It's not true that we lost one of our officers in the process. As we speak, the command has not received such a report," he said.
Chief Inspector Akeelah also stated that the police had restored calm at Sampa following their intervention.
He explained that the Police had since intensified patrols in the area, adding that calm had been restored and further gave an assurance that they would put in every effort to arrest individuals involved in the disturbances.
Living in fear
Residents, including innocent children and women at Sampa, one of the leading producers of raw cashew nuts in the country, are living in fear and uncertainty.
Some residents told the Daily Graphic that they were frustrated about the Sampa chieftaincy conflicts.
They said for the past few months they had been living in fear, which had gradually brought socio-economic activities to a standstill.
"Just last month, we had some properties burnt. When we started recovering from those losses and shock, other shops were also set ablaze," they said.
They appealed to the government and the National Peace Council to take a bold step to resolve the conflict before it escalated to other parts of Sampa and its adjoining communities.
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