The Police Administration has directed all its regional commands to begin community engagements to address any simmering tensions emanating from the Bawku conflict, especially in areas where Kusasis and Mamprugus co-exist.
It is part of the broader interventions being deployed to prevent the escalation of violence between the two tribes as a result of the Bawku conflict.
Last week, at Asewaase in the Asokore Mampong Municipality, the Chief of the Kusasis in that municipality, Alhaji Abdul-Malik Azenbge, was gunned down by unknown gunmen.
Days later, a second man was also shot by unknown gunmen in the same area, triggering a series of security measures from the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council.
These include police intensifying the search of vehicles and tricycles to prevent the carrying of arms and ammunition, a ban on the wearing of smocks and long dresses where arms could be hidden, as well as the deployment of more security forces—comprising both police and military personnel—to identify hotspot areas to safeguard lives and property.
Also, a curfew has been placed on motorbike movement after 7 p.m. daily until further notice, while there is a complete ban on the use of unlicensed motorbikes and those without functioning headlights.
Additionally, all inter-tribal football competitions across the region have been suspended until further notice.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, told the Daily Graphic that the police in Kumasi had so far intercepted some arms in the Asawase community through the intensified search.
IGP Yohuno said, beyond the ban on the use of motorcycles by the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, the police were also engaging the community against fighting or engaging in retaliatory killings.
He said when he visited Kumasi, aside from meeting police personnel, he also met the community leaders to discuss the importance of peace and peaceful co-existence.
In the Accra Region, Mr Yohuno said the Regional Commander had been leading the reconciliation efforts by visiting the various markets and transportation stations to meet all factions and other groups, not to be used as conduits for fighting or transporting weapons.
He said the Tema Regional Command had already met the various groups in Ashaiman and Tulagu to calm rising tensions.
The IGP said the police in Tamale and some traditional chiefs had met the feuding factions to warn them against fighting, as Tamale was calm and peaceful.
Security
In the Upper East and North East regions, Mr Yohuno said security had been tightened with additional personnel deployed to beef up security patrols in the two regions.
With the shift from peacekeeping to peace enforcement, as well as the imposition of curfew from 2 p.m. and 6 a.m., he expressed the hope that the situation would be brought under control.
He said the police were serving as a backup to the military on the grounds.
