Tuobodom (B/A), March, 8 GNA - A contingent of 92 military and police personnel have moved in to halt sporadic shootings and maintain peace and order at Tuobodom in Techiman Municipality of the Brong-Ahafo Region. Three persons are confirmed dead whilst unconfirmed reports put the death toll at eight in the bloody clash that erupted last Friday night between supporters of the two traditional factions in the area. Four people including police personnel had sustained various degrees of gunshots wounds and had been treated and discharge.

So far the police had arrested 12 suspects in connection with the shootings incident, and are currently placed in police custody to assist in investigations.

When the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) visited Tuobodom on Sunday, relative calm had returned to the area, but the women and children had fled the town for fear. Drinking spots, shops and stores were also closed. Briefing members of REGSEC about the incident, Superintendent Kwame Nkrumah Akumia, Wenchi Divisional Police Commander said the police had information about the exchange of firearms among the people of the town on Friday night which had claimed one life.

He could not give the root cause of the clash, but said police personnel were detailed to maintain law and order in the town. Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo Regional Minister expressed worry about the incident and urged those who had fled from the town to come back. He gave the assurance that the REGSEC was working hard to ensure that relative peace was brought to the area. Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo expressed his condolence to the bereaved families and assured the people that the police was investigating to bring the perpetrators to book.

He advised the security personnel in the area to comport themselves and discharge their duties without favour to ensure that law and order prevail in the town.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) later gathered that the incident started when some unidentified young men allegedly abducted Nana Baffour Asare II, Omanhene of Tuobodom at the premises of the Wenchi High Court, brought him to the Techiman Traditional Council and subjected the chief to severe beatings.

They later handed him to the police. This did not go down well with the supporters of the chief and they also organized themselves to retaliate. Information reaching the GNA indicated that there had been a protracted vendetta between Nana Baffour Asare II, Omanhene of Tuobodom who swear allegiance to the Asantehene Otumfo Osei Tutu II and the Techiman Traditional Council who had its Akyempemhene as the chief of Tuobodom. The reports indicated that it was the late Asantehene Otumfo Opoku Ware II who pronounced and conferred the paramount title to Nana Baffour Asare II. Since then Nana Asare II who been the President of the Tuobodom traditional council had refused to subject to the Techiman Traditional Council and affirmed its recognition as paramount chief. In October 2008, a similar shooting incident occurred when some unidentified young men from Tuobodom barricaded the Techiman-Tuobodom road to prevent Oseadeyo Akumfi Ameyaw II Omanhene of Techiman from attending a festival.

In that incident the gunmen fired and injured some of the subjects of Oseadeyo Akumfi Ameyaw II.

The Techiman Traditional Council had made consistent appeals to the police to bring the perpetrators to book but to no avail and it was against this background that the irate youth abducted Nana Asare II and later handed him over to the police for the law to take its course.