Forty people were on Monday arrested by the police in a dawn swoop at Akim-Bomso in the Kwaebibrem District over their alleged involvement in the rampant destruction of oil palm and citrus seedlings on a 64-acre farm belonging to two companies.

The release of the land by the chief and people of Tweapease for the two companies, Joaco Farms Limited and Koboe and Company, had sparked off a 17-year-old land dispute between the people of the two communities.

According to police, the people of Bomso reported that they were been harassed on their farms by the land guards of the two companies and claimed that additional 135 acres of the land had been released to the companies to expand their plantations and this had raised tension among the people.

The police said they received reports of confrontation between the people of Bomso and workers of the companies in recent days, resulting in the destruction of the oil palm and citrus seedlings and this made them to undertake the swoop.

During the exercise, many residents of Bomso including teachers and school children fled for their lives and this necessitated the Kwaebibrem District Security Committee, led by the District Chief Executive, Mr Yaw Yiadom-Boakye to visit the town to ascertain the situation on Tuesday.

Police said it was discovered that most of the local Presbyterian and Catholic Primary schools and the Local Authority JSS were open but only few pupils and a teacher were present.

At a meeting with the Bomsohene, Barima Ogufuor Minta III, and his elders, Mr Yiadom-Boakye asked them to channel their grievances through the appropriate authorities rather then taking the law into their own hands.

He also asked the companies to allow the people to go to their farms and pay compensation for crops on the acquired land.

The DCE also appealed to residents, especially the teachers, who had fled to return home since life in the town has returned to normal.

He assured the teachers of their safety and protection.