By Haruna Abugri
Human activities in the chieftaincy cum land war-torn Upper East Region town of Bawku for the last five days have been replaced with sound of gunshots as renewed gun battle between Kusasis and Mamprusis, got intense.
Loud sound of sophisticated weapons have replaced all forms of sounds in the municipality. The municipality for the past three years, has witnessed a bloody fight between the two rival tribes over the traditional ownership of Bawku. The Mamprusi faction have for over 40 years made efforts to install a rival Bawku Naba.
Their attempts over the period have always been met with fierce resistance from the state and the Kussasi divide.
During the later part of 2021, the Mamprusis made another attempt. They first wanted to perform the traditional funeral rites of one Adam Azangbego who died some four decades ago. This was one of the phases of their road to installing a rival chief.
The state at the time placed a court restriction order on the celebration. The restriction order was disregard and the celebration went on amidst gunshots. Many were killed and property destroyed.
As the intermittent gun fight went on, one Seidu Abagre went to Nalerigu and got himself installed by elders of Nalerigu as a chief of Bawku against what the Kusasis labelled as customary violation.
The February 15, 2023 installation of Seidu Abagre as a chief of Bawku by elders of Nalerigu was described by the state as illegal. A warrant of arrest was placed on him by a Bolgatanga High court. For over a year, Seidu Abagre was not arrested.
Things took a new twist few weeks ago when President Akufo-Addo visited the chief of Nalerigu (the man who installed Seidu Abagre as the chief of Bawku) and promised to facilitate the return of Seidu Abagre to Bawku.
Days after the said assurance, an appeal court in Kumasi quashed the arrest warrant.
The Herald gathered that the quashing of the warrant sparked tension in the municipality. Intelligence gathered by this outlet revealed that national security operatives warned against bringing in Seidu Abagre into Bawku.
Soldiers in Bawku are said to have resisted pressure from politically-influenced persons to escort Seidu Abagre.
Sources explained that some armed soldiers stationed in Sunyani escorted him into town under the cover of night to the displeasure of their counterparts in Bawku.
As news of his arrival spread, loud sound of guns also spread throughout the municipality.
As the guns boomed for days, same as graves were dug and many buried.
Interestingly, many blamed the government for taking a bias posture on the matter. Government has been accused of not applying the laws of the land and thus allowed the escort of Seidu Abagre into Bawku.
The Bolgatanga-Tamale highway was blocked by some youth in search of persons of Kussasi extraction. About eight persons have been killed on that stretch of the highway. Many are asking the state as to how some persons can block the road for hours without security personnel coming into the scene.
Many others have been killed in the gun battle.
The Kussaug Traditional council at a press conference openly questioned government over what its described as a bias posture in handling the case. They accused Bawumia of aiding his tribesmen using his office as the vice president.
Government on the other hand called for calm. A 6pm to 6am curfew has been imposed.
Although government admitted to the fact that Seidu Abagre’s stay in Bawku, will pose insecurity, it failed to detailed what steps it is taking to avert the continuous gunfire with regards to Seidu Abagre’s presence in Bawku.
Chieftaincy minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng at a press conference called on Both Parties to trust the state in handling the matter.
However, many are asking government as to how state security officers were used to escort Seidu Abagre into Bawku.
As at the time of going to press, gunshots were reportedly raging on throughout the municipality despite the presence of heavy military personnel.
Meanwhile the Kussaug Traditional council have placed a temporal ban on all political activities of the governing New Patriotic Party.
