Residents of Bole in the Savannah Region are living in fear and panic following the continuous murder of people in the area.

At least 20 people have so far been killed since 2021 in what many suspect to be ritual murders.

The victims of these killings are mostly night security guards, popularly known as watchmen, and mentally challenged persons whose body parts are usually taken after they are killed.

The latest killing happened last week, the fourth since May, in which the head of a decapitated body was found in a polythene bag on the outskirts of Bole Township. This has forced residents to restrict their movements, especially at night.

The Savannah Regional Youth Network, an association of young people in the region, said the situation has left many people traumatized as they feel unsafe at their farms, workplaces, and even at home.

The group, in a petition to the Interior Minister, said the delay and seeming inaction of the police were a matter of concern as the alleged ritual killers continued to execute their gruesome acts.

“The people of Bole consider the murder of our three compatriots between May 1 and June 2, 2024, as an indication of the absolute failure of the police, with whom there exists a social contract between the citizens of Bole and its environs,” the petition signed by convenors of the youth network, led by its President, Haruna Muntala Jarrah, said.

The group accused the police of selective application of rules, recounting how “swiftly [the police] responded to the murder cases in Jirapa in the Upper West Region and Maame Krobo in the Eastern Region of our country and constantly provided updates for the same cases.”

The group appealed to the Interior Minister for a 24-hour patrol and security beef-up in the Bole District to make the district and its environs safe for “the people to go on with their normal activities day and night.”

They also demanded a comprehensive report from the police on the 20 cases and an assurance that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

“We want justice to be delivered without fear or favor. Any culprits involved in these serious crimes should be made to face the rigors of the law,” the Youth Network added.