Tensions have reached a boiling point in Bawku, following the return of rival chief Alhaji Seidu Abagre, resulting in a deadly gun battle that claimed two lives and left several others injured.
This latest outbreak of violence is the culmination of a decades-long chieftaincy dispute between the Mamprusi and Kusasi ethnic groups.
The conflict, which dates back to the 20th century, revolves around the rightful ownership of the Bawku throne.
In recent years, the situation seemed to have calm down, but Abagre’s return to the area after the Appeal Court in Kumasi quashed his arrest warrant on October 17, 2024, ignited the flames of violence once more.
A History of Turmoil
The Bawku chieftaincy dispute has been marked by periods of relative peace punctuated by outbreaks of violence.
In November 2021, rumors of the Mamprusi planning to perform funeral rites for their last chief sparked clashes between the two ethnic groups.
The situation escalated further in April 2023, when gunmen attacked a vehicle carrying immigration officers, killing one and injuring two.
Human Cost
The conflict has taken a devastating toll on civilians, with over 260 people killed in the Bawku area since 2021.
The violence has also displaced many residents, leaving them without access to basic necessities.
BY Daniel Bampoe