Police cordon off NPP Tongo office (video)

The police have fired teargas to disperse agitated youths of the New Patriotic Party who had barricaded their party office at Tongo in the Talensi constituency of the Upper East region, ostensibly to defend it from suspected thugs.

The party youth are reported to be angry with the security services for alleged indifference when a number of their officials were attacked and beaten up by youths alleged to be from the National Democratic Congress-affiliated Azorka Boys.

Officials including Freddie Blay, a vice chairman of the party; Kwabena Abankwa-Yeboah, national treasurer of the NPP; and former deputy minister for youth and sports in the Kufuor administration, Rashid Bawa all claim to have been beaten up.

Kwabena Abankwa-Yeboah and Rashid Bawa allege that the assault followed instructions to that effect by Interior Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo.

A number of personal assistants of the beaten officials were also alleged to have received their own share of the beating.

Graphic Online correspondent, Vincent Amenuveve reports that the NPP youth had mounted a roadblock just across the party office. Eyewitnesses told him occupants of a Nissan Patrol vehicle with registration number GN 1812 11 fired gunshots at occupants of a mauve-coloured Nissan pick-up with registration number GT 7220 10 suspected to be NPP followers.

The eyewitnesses claimed occupants of the Nissan pick-up managed to flee the scene to rally their supporters to return the attack.

The ensuing confrontation saw occupants of the Nissan Patrol abandoning their vehicle. They fled the scene, following which the enraged NPP youth deflated its tyres and shattered its windscreens.

The vandalised vehicle has since been towed to the Bolgatanga District Police Station while detectives have visited the scene of the clash.

Repeated calls to Minister Woyongo's phone went unanswered.

The people of Talensi are voting in a by-election to elect a new member of parliament following the vacation of the post by the incumbent Robert Nachinab Domemeng Mosore, who has been enskinned a chief.

Below is a video from the scene of the incident

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