Chieftaincy factions in Bolga engage in gunfire exchanges
Feuding factions in the Bolgatanga Chieftaincy dispute on the late morning of Tuesday engaged in sporadic gunfire exchanges for about ten minutes.
The immediate cause of the renewed conflict is not officially known.
However, the Ghana News Agency gathered that it was as a result of a misunderstanding on a piece of land situated in the north wing of the Atulbabisi community where the two factions are claiming ownership.
The Municipal Police Commander, Chief Superintendent, Mr Samuel Punopyin Tibil, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga later, confirmed the immediate cause to be a disputed land where the Abilba family is claiming was their ancestral grave yard and that they would not allow their opponents to put up any structure on it.
According to him, while artisans were on site putting up some structures, some people believed to have come from the Chief’s Palace protested and in the process the fighting ensued with the two factions engaging in the exchange of gunshots.
However a source close to the Abilba family gave a contrary explanation to the Municipal Police Commander’s account and said the Apakre family encroached on the ancestral land of the Abilba family which the latter holds documents to.
According to the source, the matter was reported to the Bolgatanga police and when the police officers got to the scene to verify the true owners of the land, some unknown persons threw stones at the police who took refuge by running back to the police station.
The source said when the police retreated, some of the unknown persons advanced the attack with gunshots towards the Chief’s Palace where some volunteers beefed up support for the few police officers on guard at the Palace who responded with warning shots.
The police within ten minutes after the action blocked all routes to the Atulbabisi community to prevent any further attacks and brought security in the area under control.
No fatalities or injuries were recorded during the brief shootings. However, Banks and shops within the central market area have been closed fearing possible renewal at night. For now, the area is deserted and sounding too quiet for a township.
Source: GNA