Members of the Andani royal family in Dagbon insist they will not allow any funeral rites of the late Naa Mahamadu Abdulai to be performed at the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi.

This is a rejection of the roadmap proposed by government to restore peace in the area after several conflicts leading to deaths and destruction of property.

The government suggested the performance of the final funeral rites of the two late kings of Dagbon, Naa Yakubu Andani II of the Andani Gate and Naa Mahamadu Abdulai of the Abudu Gate at the palace.

At a media briefing during the 14th anniversary of the murder of Naa Yakubu Andani II, the Andani family said allowing the Abudus to proceed with any funeral rites will violate traditions.

Spokesperson for the Andanis, Bashiru Dabali stated: “We shall under no circumstance allow the funeral of the late Mahamadu Abdulai to be performed at the Gbewaa Palace. To allow this to happen is to reward crime, since this was the reason for the sole purpose of forcibly removing Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II from the palace to pave way for the funeral of Mahamadu Abdulai to be performed. The attack eventually resulted in the murder of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani and several members of his royal household.”

He also charged government to ensure that justice was delivered by bringing the murderers of the Ya-Na to book.