Five arrested in Agbobloshie clashes

The Greater Accra regional police command has arrested five persons in connection with the clashes that erupted Tuesday at agbobloshie, a suburb of Accra.

Locally manufactured rifles were retrieved from the suspects during the arrest Wednesday, the police said.

Violent clashes erupted Tuesday between Konkombas and Dagombas at the Agbobloshie Yam market in Accra with two person reported dead.

Information gathered by Starr News indicates that the violence started after a Dagomba man was beaten by some Konkombas for allegedly stealing a mobile phone Monday evening.

An eyewitness who spoke to Starr News stated that two people including a pregnant woman have been shot with several others sustaining gory cutlass wounds.

Confirming the arrest in an interview, the Public relations officer of the Greater Accra Police Command, ASP Effia Tenge said investigations are still ongoing nonetheless.

Agbobloshie, she said, had been relatively calm following the police’s intervention and that “since the incident broke yesterday [Tuesda], the police have been able to arrest four more persons” bringing the number to five as one person was picked up yesterday.

“Two of these persons were found with locally manufactured pistols on them and some cartridges. One of them even had a knife on him. So they are presently with the police and assisting with investigations,” she added.

She continued that eight people had sustained various degrees of injury, and that “they are being attended to at the hospital. They are currently responding to treatment. One has been discharged.”

Meanwhile, the chairman of parliament’s committee for defense and deputy minister-designate, Major Derek Oduro has urged security agencies to be up and doing to ensure that the clashes being witnessed at agbobloshie is brought under control.

Commenting on the development Wednesday on Morning Starr, Major Oduro said in order to forestall future clashes, there is the need to set up a permanent security base there.

The security base, he told Morning Starr host, Francis Abban, will be in charge of intelligence gathering that would lead to dealing with any future clashes in the area.

He said: “I think there should be a permanent security base at Agbogbloshie. If there is the need for security forces to put their foot on the ground. They must be up and doing to ensure that the situation is brought under control.”