Upper East in 2025: A year of brutal murders, riots, historic developments

The year 2025 will be remembered in the Upper East Region as one marked by fear and fortitude, grief and guarded optimism, as residents navigated a complex mix of violent conflict, youth unrest, and historic developments.

From the troubled streets of Bawku to classrooms rocked by student protests, and from the broken canals of the Vea Dam to the porous, uncompleted Bolgatanga-Bawku road, the region dominated headlines for reasons that underscored both its vulnerabilities and its enduring resilience.

Bawku conflict, murders

At the heart of the region’s most disturbing headlines was the resurgence of violence linked to the protracted Bawku chieftaincy conflict.

The year opened under tight security, with the government maintaining a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Bawku Municipality and surrounding communities, accompanied by a ban on the riding of motorbikes and the wearing of smocks.

Despite these measures, targeted killings and ambushes were recorded at various points throughout the year, heightening fear among residents and disrupting economic and social life.

For the first time, the conflict escalated beyond the Bawku Municipality to neighbouring districts such as Garu, Tempane and Bolgatanga, the regional capital, as well as to the North East and Ashanti Regions, where key personalities from both factions were allegedly targeted and killed.

For instance, on Monday, May 19, 2025, at about 6:00 p.m., Mohammed Seidu Akugri, a National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) officer at the Bongo District who hailed from Bawku and belonged to one of the factions, was shot dead in his vehicle and set ablaze at Nangodi in the Nabdam District by gunmen while on his way to Bawku.

In what appeared to be a reprisal attack, on June 5, 2025, Mohammed Zibrim Zia-Ulhak, a pharmacist from Bawku and a member of the opposing faction, was shot dead in his private vehicle around 11:00 p.m. at Tindonsobligo, a suburb of Bolgatanga.

Again, on July 22, 2025, Naab Abdul-Malik Azenbe, the Kusasi Chief in the Ashanti Region and also the Kaadi Divisional Chief in the Binduri District in the Upper East Region, was shot dead by unknown assailants at Asawase, a suburb of Kumasi.

At about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 26, 2025, a student of Bawku Senior High School was dragged out of his dormitory and killed by gunmen.

Hours later, two students of Nalerigu Senior High School, reportedly belonging to one of the factions, were also gunned down by unknown assailants.

These killings, happened along with many others including the murder of a family of five at Binduri on November 7, 2025, the killing of an Immigration officer at Tempane on  November 2, 2025, the murder of three people including the attack of a radio manager, and the burning of the Binduri Member of Parliament’s home on October 26, 2025.

The killing of four people, including a head teacher and an NHIA officer in Garu on October 20, 2025, and several other individual killings were also attributed to the conflict.

Otumfuo Mediation

In 2025, mediation efforts led by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II remained central to attempts to resolve the protracted Bawku chieftaincy conflict.

The mediation process produced a report intended to address the long-standing dispute and pave the way for lasting peace.

However, while the report was accepted by the Bawku Naba, Zug-Raan Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, it was rejected by the Overlord of Mamprugu, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga II, thereby deepening tensions surrounding its implementation.

Subsequently, following efforts to implement the report, the rival chief, Seidu Abagare, was removed by the Ghana Armed Forces on December 25, 2025.

Students’ Riots

Away from Bawku, student riots also made headlines, particularly in second-cycle institutions.

These protests were triggered by issues ranging from ethnic clashes and resistance to disciplinary actions to utility shortages, leading to property destruction and temporary school closures.

On July 20, 2025, Zuarungu Senior High School was shut down following ethnic clashes over the theft of a mobile phone, which resulted in the burning of a provision store at the school’s common market.

Similarly, on August 16, 2025, Bolgatanga Technical Institute was closed after students burnt down the school library, destroyed the school bus, and disconnected electricity to the school in protest against disciplinary actions taken against some of their colleagues.

Other schools that experienced student protests included Sirigu SHS, where students seized the head teacher’s car and locked up his office over welfare concerns, and Gowrie SHS, where the headmistress was forced out of her office by some staff backed by students over allegations of food diversion and mismanagement.

On December 5, 2025, Awe SHS in Navrongo was also shut down following student protests after an alleged “intruder” arrested by school cadets was nearly subjected to mob justice for reportedly sneaking into the girls’ dormitory at night.

The protest led to the destruction of school property, including the looting of food items.

Vea Dam

One of the most hopeful stories of the year was the renewed commitment to the rehabilitation of the left canal of the Vea Irrigation Dam, a critical agricultural asset for the region.

Follow-ups by the World Bank and its push for the Parliament of Ghana to expedite approval of the US$125 million required for the rehabilitation of the dam’s canals raised expectations among farmers who depend on the facility for dry-season farming.

The rehabilitation is expected to boost food production, youth employment and agribusiness at a time when climate variability continues to threaten rain-fed agriculture. For many residents, Vea symbolised the possibility of turning policy promises into tangible economic relief.

Additionally, after nearly six decades of neglect, the Vea community mobilised and constructed a bridge across the Vea spillway, ending years of dangerous crossings, especially during periods when the dam overflowed.

Historic Developments

In October 2025, the Upper East Region finally received a temporary passport application centre after decades of appeals and failed promises by successive governments.

For residents, the passport office has not only bridged a development gap but has also ended years of hardship endured by people who previously had to travel to other regions to acquire passports.

Also, for the first time since the establishment of the Upper East Regional Hospital in 1949 and subsequent expansion in 1952, the hospital got a permanent trauma and orthopaedic surgeon in October 2025.

A son of the region, Dr Raymond Atibila Aboungo, returned home to take up the role.