Police in Bunkprugu in the North East Region have launched a manhunt for Melchizedek Babotin Musah and six other persons following a deadly escalation in the town’s long running chieftaincy dispute, which has left one woman dead and a soldier injured.
The latest violence erupted on Saturday after Mr Musah was allegedly enskinned as a rival chief by members of the Jamong Family at a secluded location, despite a court injunction expressly restraining the group from proceeding with the ceremony.
The disputed enskinment was reportedly followed by violent confrontations between rival factions later in the day, with the situation deteriorating into gunfire that claimed the life of a woman.
Security personnel who moved into the area in an attempt to restore calm also came under attack when gunmen allegedly opened fire on a military vehicle responding to the disturbance.
One soldier sustained a gunshot injury during the attack and was subsequently evacuated to a hospital in Bolgatanga, where he was taken for medical treatment.
According to the police, the persons believed to have organised and participated in the disputed enskinment fled Bunkprugu shortly after the ceremony and are now being pursued as investigations intensify.
The incident represents a fresh escalation in the longstanding dispute between the Jamong and Jafouk families over traditional authority in Bunkprugu, a conflict that has remained unresolved despite years of legal and traditional interventions.
The latest development is particularly significant because the disputed ceremony was allegedly carried out despite an existing court order intended to prevent precisely such an action.
On September 9, the police secured an injunction against Nyanu Yogbat and six other persons, preventing them from proceeding with plans to install a rival chief.
The legal intervention followed an earlier attempt on August 18 to hold the ceremony, which was halted after the North East Regional Security Council intervened to prevent the proposed enskinment from taking place.
Despite the injunction, members of the Jamong Family reportedly went ahead with the ceremony on Saturday at an undisclosed location, where Melchizedek Babotin Musah was allegedly installed as their chief.
Those involved are said to have left the area immediately after the ceremony, setting the stage for renewed tension between the rival factions.
The situation subsequently deteriorated when members of the competing groups clashed later in the evening. Gunfire was reported during the confrontation, resulting in the death of a woman.
The arrival of security personnel did little to immediately calm the situation as armed individuals allegedly fired at a military vehicle that had moved into the area in response to the disturbance.
A soldier was hit by gunfire and later transported to Bolgatanga for further medical attention.
The latest confrontation is rooted in a much older disagreement over who should occupy the traditional leadership position in Bunkprugu.
The Jamong Family has, following a ruling by the National House of Chiefs, been seeking the removal of the incumbent chief, Naa Abuba Nasinmong, who belongs to the Jafouk Family.
The National House of Chiefs reportedly ruled in favour of the Jamong Family earlier this year in its determination of the longstanding dispute.
Following the ruling, the House directed the family to engage the Mamprugu Overlord, the Nayiri, to undertake the necessary traditional processes required to give effect to the decision.
Naa Abuba Nasinmong, however, subsequently appealed the ruling, keeping the dispute alive and leaving the competing factions divided over the legitimate occupant of the Bunkprugu traditional leadership.
The position of the Nayiri has further complicated the matter, with the traditional authority reportedly reaffirming his support for Naa Nasinmong, despite the earlier decision of the National House of Chiefs.
The competing claims have consequently continued to fuel tension within the community, with both sides seeking to assert their respective positions through legal and traditional avenues.
Speaking to JoyNews’ North East Regional Correspondent, ASP Emmanuel Simtim confirmed that the police had commenced an active search for the individuals believed to be connected to the latest incident.
“We are now looking for them,” he said.
ASP Simtim explained that the investigation remained ongoing as the police worked to establish the circumstances surrounding the violence and identify those responsible.
“Investigation is still ongoing to find out the culprits,” he added.
The police commander said calm had since returned to Bunkprugu and that security personnel had brought the situation under control.
However, the death of the woman, the shooting of a soldier and the alleged violation of a court injunction have heightened concerns over the possibility of further confrontation if the competing claims to the Bunkprugu chieftaincy are not addressed through the appropriate legal and traditional mechanisms.
The police are continuing investigations into the alleged breach of the injunction, the reported rival enskinment, the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and the shooting of the soldier, while efforts are underway to locate the seven persons being sought in connection with the incident.
