Five soldiers, ten civilians arrested in Somanya chieftaincy disputes

The counter terrorism unit of the Ghana police service has arrested five Soldiers and ten civilians for their alleged involvement in a chieftaincy dispute in Somanya

The suspects who apprehended in two separate incidents Thursday afternoon.

The soldiers were arrested at Ogome ,a suburb of Somanya ostensibly to side with a faction who had already been restrained by the police to install a rival chief.

The civilians were on other hand picked up by police when they allegedly stormed the Somanya community centre to disrupt the launch of this year's Kloyosikplemi festival by the Yilo Krobo traditional council.

In the process two journalists who were filming the arrest were allegedly brutalized by the police.

Freelancer , Bennet Yaovi and Omanba Boafo, morning show host of Somanya based rite fm sustained varying degrees of injuries and are currently on admission at the Atua government hospital.

The area has been rocked with tension and pockets of violence following the demise of the acting president of the traditional council, Nene Tumeh Odorkor 1.

The paramount Queen mother and one of the claimant's to the stool have been battling it out over who is rightful to act as the president of the traditional council.

Regional police operations commander, Deputy superintendent Police (DSP) Otumi Kartey said the civilians are currently in their custody in Koforidua while the soldiers have been released to the military high command.

DSP Kartey assured residents of the highly volatile town of Somanya of maximum security as the festival draws neigh.

The Kloyosikplemi festival is expected to take place first week of November this year.