The Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, has faulted the regent of Bimbilla for the recent intra-ethnic chieftaincy clashes in the area that claimed about 13 lives.

A refugee situation has been created in Yendi following the clashes between chieftaincy factions in Bimbilla, the Nanumba North District capital with at least 30 families fleeing the heavy fighting.

Speaking on the floor of parliament on Wednesday, February 22, 2017, Mr. Dery said the clashes were caused by the regent’s flagrant disregard to cautions by both the Regional Security Council (REGSEG) and District Security Council (DISEC) to defer the installation of a sub-chief in the area.

“Regrettably, the recent state of violence…matters relating to [the clashes] commenced on Wednesday February 8, 2017. The Regional Security Committee that’s REGSEC in Tamale received intelligence information that a planned enskinment of one Mumuni Haruna by the Bimbilla regent had the potential of “adversely affecting the peace of Bimbilla and its environs,” he said.



He added: “The deliberations of the said intelligence by REGSEC, Tamale culminated in a directive to DISEC of the Nanumba North to pursue the regent of Bimbilla to delay or postpone the plan enskinment notice of which have been given to DISEC per letter dated 2nd February 2017 and fixed for 9th February, 2017 to enable REGSEC put in place necessary security reinforcement to contain the security threats.”

But the regent rejected the request to defer the enskinment and went ahead to perform the enskinment leading to the destructive violence that claimed about 13 lives.

The minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, however, believes the government is to blame for the lives lost during the chaos arguing that the government has no excuse after it was furnished with intelligence.

“What happens to our early warning and urgency of deployment,” he asked, speaking on the floor of Parliament.