Chief in critical condition after gun attack

A sub-chief of troubled Kafabar in the East Gonja district is battling gunshots injuries at the Tamale Teaching Hospital after he was attacked by gunmen Monday night at his base in Salaga, the district capital.

Alhaji Soale Dramani known popularly as ‘Business’ who received the Best Regional Farmer award in 2013 took several bullets at his back while on his way to a Chief’s palace after being summoned.

Eyewitnesses said they heard distressed screams after the sounds of gunshots rang out and moved in only to find the chief struggling desperately to stay conscious in a stream of blood.

He was rushed to the Salaga Hospital where he underwent a surgery before being referred to the Teaching Hospital in the regional capital city.

Residents who spoke to Starr News said the sub chief told his relatives a stranger named Jawula had called to inform him that the Mabungwura, a subchief of Kpembe wanted to see him at his palace.

He said he was ambushed on his way to this supposed meeting by the attackers who shot him severally from the back shattering his backbone.

Alhaji Soale ‘Business’ is husband to the Central Gonja district education director and has reportedly been a target in the ongoing chieftaincy dispute between the Kalampor and Kafabar communities.

Starr News sources suggest chairman of the regional Security Council has been informed about the incident and security has been emboldened by the district security council under the orders of the chairman.

The attack comes almost two weeks after gunmen staged a dawn raid on the Kalampor community and shot dead at least six people and left about nine others with various degrees of injury.

It is believed to be a reprisal to an attack last year in May on residents of Kafabar by gunmen who also shot sporadically at spectators watching an English soccer match on television, allegedly killing more than two persons and wounded many others.

The Gonjaland has been a tinderbox of chieftaincy violence in the Northern Region and tensions keep rising in many parts of the largest Traditional Area in the region.

A chief in the traditional area, Mantonwura Alhaji Abass Dangba had warned the commission in charge of creating more regions to investigate the behaviours of the Overlord, Yagbonwura Tutumba Boressah I before deciding to give Gonjas their own region in order not to create a new chieftaincy hotspot.