Regional News of Friday, 8 April 2016

Source: GNA

Upper East Police warns Bolga chieftaincy factions

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The Upper East Regional Police Command has warned that the Police would not countenance any act of violence in the Region under the guise of chieftaincy.
One person was confirmed dead and eight injured following renewed violence between the two Bolgatanga chieftaincy gates during a funeral at Dapotindongo, a suburb of the town.

Addressing a press conference in Bolgatanga, the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Simon Afeku, assured residents that the police and military personnel would work together to restore calm and peace in the Municipality and urged the public to be tolerant.

He said the Police was working hard to arrest the perpetrators of the violence, saying they would not be spared by the law.

Meanwhile, the Upper East Regional Security Council led by the Regional Minister, Mr Albert Abongo, on Monday intervened to calm the feuding factions and reiterated that the Police would apprehend the culprits.

The Police said the violence was suspected to have been orchestrated by the feuding factions of the two gates of the Bolgatanga traditional area.

The two chieftaincy gates, Abilba and Apagre with their enskinned chiefs are in court contesting the Chieftaincy title after the demise of Naba Martin Abilba the Second.

This is the second time the two factions have clashed. It would be recalled that in 2015, seven persons including a teenage girl were shot when the factions clashed. Several houses were also set ablaze and sporadic gunshots fired from unknown locations the whole night.

Meanwhile, a curfew which was impose .last Sunday from 16:00 hours to 06:00 hours on Atulibabisi, where both parties are resident, has been reviewed to last from 20:00 hours to 06:00 hours.

The recent outburst of violence, however, has not affected economic activities, as people are busy going about their normal business.

The banks and other key financial institutions and business centres, as well as government offices mobile phone service providers in the town are all open for normal business.