3 Killed, 25 houses burnt in Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo

Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo district in the Northern Region has turned into a ghost town due to fresh clashes between the Namong and the Jafeouk clans who are reportedly fighting over the legitimate occupant of the skin in the area.

Currently, 25 houses have been burnt whiles three persons – Namka Bagben 70; Kennedy Moajin 22 and Bitian Piiba, 22 – are confirmed dead. Two persons – Adamu Biitak, 25, a student of Bunkpurugu Senior High School and another – are in critical condition due to the shooting and are receiving treatment at the Baptist Medical Centre (BMC) in Nalerigu.

One Gideon Naadam, a resident of Bunkpurugu who spoke to DAILY GUIDE, said two young men who come from the Namong clan, were traveling to Togo on a motorbike when some members from the Jafeouk clan blocked the road, beating them severely, which resulted in their untimely death.

The Northern Regional police spokesperson, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, who confirmed the incident, said a complaint was lodged with the police on Saturday about the missing of Kennedy Moajin, 22 and Bitian Piiba, 22, and a search led to the discovery of their bodies in an uncompleted building under a pile of bricks.

According to ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, during police investigations they realized that the killings were as a result of the long-standing chieftaincy dispute between the Namong and the Jafeouk clans over the legitimate occupant of the skin in the area.

The bodies of the two have been deposited at the West Hospital in Tamale for preservation.

He said at about 7pm during the routine load shedding (dumsor) in the area, the police heard gunshots from a particular direction of the town then later the lights came on and the police were able to normalize the situation. Then at about 10:30 pm the shooting started again but later stopped completely.

Reinforcement has been deployed to the Bunkpurugu Township and security has been stepped up at some locations.

The Police Administration says it has dispatched personnel from the elite units of the Service to the town to restore calm.

The contingent, drawn from the Counter-Terrorism and the Formed Police Units of the Service, have been instructed to stabilize the situation and maintain law and order, a statement issued by Cephas Arthur, Director of Public Affairs of the Police Service, stated.