Bawku conflict: Curfews do not solve problems – Adib Saani

Security Analyst, Adib Saani, has asserted that curfews do not solve conflicts but rather serve as temporary measures to mitigate the situation.

The government, through the Interior Ministry, has imposed a curfew in Bawku following renewed disturbances linked to Seidu Abagre's return, who was enskinned as Bawku Naba in February 2023 amidst controversy.

Following an emergency National Security meeting, a 12-hour daily curfew has been imposed on Bawku from 6:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. until further notice.

Despite the 12-hour curfew imposed to curb the unrest, violent clashes continue to ravage Bawku, resulting in at least three fatalities and several houses being set ablaze.

In an interview on Starr Today with Naa Dedei Tettey, Security analyst, Adib Saani explained that curfews are temporary measures to help ease tensions during conflicts and not long-lasting resolutions.

The security analyst stressed that curfews, imposed multiple times previously, have not yielded the desired results, underscoring the need for innovative approaches to tackle and effectively address the conflict.

"Well, I've always indicated that curfews don't solve the problem. Curfews are just an interim measure put in place to stop the belligerence or the firing of weapons. But when we don't take advantage of the lull in fighting to address the other structural issues on the ground that are facilitating the cycle of violence in that area, then the violence recurs," he said.

"And we have seen this time and time again. Indeed, in the past, we've had curfews imposed. And no sooner does the curfew start than the violence starts again," he noted.

He continued: "And believe it or not, mostly the violence also happens in the evening when the curfew is in place. So it's been proven beyond reasonable doubt that curfews don't really work as much as we expected to do. For that matter, the need for us to explore other means to deal with the issue once and for all."