Ghana’s government has imposed a 12-hour curfew on the northern town of Bawku following renewed ethnic clashes that have claimed more than 100 lives.
The violence erupted after the controversial return of Seidu Abagre, who was installed as the Bawku Naba by the Nayiri, the paramount chief of the Mamprusi people, in a disputed ceremony last year.
About 15 people have been reported dead in the renewed clashes that began on Saturday as innocent people who do not belong to either the Mamprusi or the Kusasi tribes have been killed in their cars.
Security forces have been deployed to the area as tensions escalated following Mr. Abagre’s arrival on 24 October.
The ministry announced the curfew, which runs from 18:00 to 06:00 local time, warning that “Any person found violating this curfew will face the full consequences of the law.”
“Based on assessments by national security agencies, the continued presence of Mr. Seidu Abagre in Bawku poses a substantial threat to public safety and security,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement following an emergency National Security meeting.
“In light of the foregoing, pursuant to the provisions of the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491), a curfew is, hereby, imposed on Bawku from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM, commencing today, Monday, 28. October 2024, until further notice.”
“The government is committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the people of Bawku and its environs,” the statement added.
According to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Zebilla, Dr. John Kingsley Krugu says more than 100 people have been killed in Bawku over the renewed clashes.
Bawku, a diverse trading hub near Ghana’s border with Burkina Faso, is home to several ethnic groups, including Kusasis, Mamprusis, Bissas, and Bimobas. The town has witnessed periodic outbreaks of violence for over seven decades.
The dispute over the Bawku chieftaincy dates back to the 1950s and stems from competing historical claims between the Kusasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups.
The Mamprusi claim ancient ownership following their historical conquest of the Bissa people, who were the area’s earliest rulers.
The latest tensions have simmered since Mr. Abagre’s controversial arrival in Bawku following his installation by the Nayiri in February 2023, leading to intermittent violence in the area.
