Pusiga Chief demands protection after palace invasion
Naba Tambiis-baaluk-Kunwiak Ibrahim Aguuri I, Paramount Chief of the Pusiga Traditional Area in the Upper East Region is demanding a 24-hour security protection after a group of security personnel invaded his palace during an operation on Wednesday in relation to the renewed instability in Bawku.
The security personnel made up of the military and police invaded the palace in a search operation after an attack at Buabula in the Bawku Municipality that led to the injury of three military officers, while two civilians were killed.
Ten suspects were also arrested and would be processed for court.
According to the security personnel, they had intelligence that the suspects who shot at their personnel were hiding at the palace of the Paramount Chief, hence their operation but they could not find anybody.
At a press conference at Pusiga, Naba Aguuri I, who is also the Vice President of the Kusaug Traditional Area Council, described the search operation as “an attack meant to embarrass the entire people of Pusiga” and demanded immediate investigation into the incident.
The Chief called on the two security agencies to render an unqualified apology, adding “the two state securities must adopt the use of modern intelligence gathering techniques.”
Mr Zubeiru Abdulai, the District Chief Executive for Pusiga, noted that members of the District Security Council would urgently discuss strategies in beefing up security in the district.
Meanwhile, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker while presiding as Speaker on Thursday, directed the Ministers of National security, Defense and the Interior to brief Parliament urgently on the security in Bawku.
Since November 2021, the Bawku Municipality and its environs had been experiencing violent chieftaincy disputes resulting in the killing and injuring of many people.
The conflict started because of disagreement over the performance of the funeral of a Chief who died more than 41 years ago which would pave way for the enskinment of another chief.
Currently, a curfew is enforced from 2000 hours to 0500 hours and a ban on motorbike riding and wearing of smocks within Bawku Township and its environs.
Meanwhile, the government, through the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, in an earlier statement noted that the Chieftaincy disagreement was settled by the Supreme Court in 2003 and urged all parties to respect the ruling.
More than 45 people have been killed so far with several injured since the reoccurrence of the impasse in November, 2021.
Source: GNA