Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga has petitioned the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in connection with the recent killing of some civilians in the Upper East Region town by personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces.

In his petition, Mr Ayariga said: “In my capacity as the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, I, hereby lodge a complaint on behalf of some residents of Bawku under regulation 2(2)(a) and (b) of C.I. 67 pertaining to several acts of violation of the human rights of some residents of Bawku by members of the Ghana Armed Forces.”

“Among the rights violated included the sacred right to life of 10 citizens of Bawku who were shot to death by members of the armed forces engaged in Operation Gongong in Bawku on Tuesday 31st January and Wednesday 1st February 2023. Children’s rights. Women’s rights and property rights were violated”, he noted.

He continued: “The military does not deny shooting and killing these residents of Bawku. A statement issued by the military authorities on 2nd February 2023 admitting responsibility for the killings is attached.”

He is demanding “compensation of GH¢500,000.00 for each and every one of those whose lives were taken, to be paid to their immediate families as punitive damage.”

Further, he wants GAF to be retrained from “further acts of brutalities in Bawku in the exercise of their responsibilities to maintain peace in Bawku and adequate compensation to those who have suffered physical harm.”

Another legislator, Peter Lanchene Toobu, has expressed fears the recurrent chieftaincy conflict in Bawku could provide a fertile ground for terrorists to invade the sub-region and radicalise Ghanaian youth in the north.

The retired police officer’s concerns come after the recent killings of some civilians in the conflict-riddled area by the military.

The army, however, says it merely “neutralised” the civilians, who he described as criminal suspects.

Speaking to Nasaria Abdul Rahman on Class91.3FM’s mid-day news 12Live on Friday, 3 February 2023, The Wa West MP said: “That issue in Bawku has the potential to engulf the whole region of West Africa”, warning: “Let’s rise up to it and say, ‘this is wrong, let’s stop it’ because it started in Mali and dropped down to Burkina Faso and it’s knocking on our door and we shouldn’t create that enabling environment to radicalise the youth and get them ready to join any group that can cause mayhem.”

He said “apart from the deaths, it is disgraceful. What is it that we can’t solve? Somebody must be a chief and because of that somebody should die? This is unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, the Upper East Regional Security Council has appealed to the ethnic factions in the Bawku conflict, “to desist from any attempt to engage the military in combat, since that will be catastrophic on the part of the civilians.”

“We should, therefore, be charting a peaceful map for Bawku,” a statement signed by Alhaji Abubakari Inusah, Chief Director, on behalf of the Regional Minister, said.

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) refuted allegations by some individuals in Bawku that soldiers deployed on Operation Gongong to restore calm in the area were killing innocent Kusasi youth and women in their homes and communities.

The army also said allegations that military personnel have seized Zoogin, a Kusasi community is false and unfounded.

GAF, in a statement, explained that information received from the National Investigations Bureau by its Operation Gongong Team early this week indicated that passengers on board a yellow KIA Grand Bird Bus with registration number AS 3672-21 travelling from Accra to Missiga were attacked by unknown gunmen around Kpawelga on the Bawku Highways.

The gunmen fired through the tyre and engine compartment of the vehicle.

The bus is currently parked at Asylum Down, Bawku Divisional Police Station, for an investigation to be conducted.

Also, one KIA Rhino truck with registration number AS 7093-17 was hit and the driver of the truck, Alhassan Abdella, aged 40, from the Gonja ethnic group, sustained gunshot wounds on the left foot.

He is currently receiving treatment at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital.

Again, GAF noted that on Wednesday, 1 February 2023, gunshots were heard around South Natinga in Bawku.

A patrol team rushed to the general area of the shooting where a suspect, Abdul Malik Haruna, aged 35, from the Mamprusi ethnic group, was arrested.

He has since been handed over to the Bawku Police for further investigation.

GAF, in the statement, said it must be placed on record that based on a tip-off by the Bawku Police on the hideout of the suspects alleged to be involved in the firing incident at Bawku, troops conducted cordon and search operations together with the Bawku police at Pateleme General Area.

Three suspects, Fatau Alhassan Binda, 42; Abubakar Iddrisu, 44; and Alhassan Mustapha Binda, 33; all from the Dagomba ethnic group, were arrested in a house at Pateleme.

They were handed over to the Bawku Police for further investigations.

In a separate incident, GAF further disclosed that sporadic firing was heard around the Sabongari General Area.

A patrol team dispatched to assess the situation spotted unknown armed men at the Gozesi-Valley side in Sabongari wearing black t-shirts with black hoodies.

Troops engaged them and neutralised six armed men.

GAF said during the engagement, some armed men took cover in a mud house within the immediate vicinity to engage the team.

One of the armed men attempted to attack troops with a cutlass but was disarmed in the process.

During the operation, a local woman found with a gunshot injury on the left hand was sent to Bawku Presbyterian Hospital by troops for treatment.

GAF said it is forced to disclose these outcomes in order to dispel false information and the wrong notion that a particular group is being targeted by troops in Bawku.

GAF has assured the general public of its commitment to protecting the citizenry at all times.

It is, therefore, soliciting the support of all peace-loving Ghanaians, especially indigenes of Bawku, to facilitate the process of bringing normalcy to the area and also to aid GAF in de-escalating tension in the interest of the needed peace and security for the socio-economic development of Bawku and the nation as a whole.