Minister fingered in Najong killings

Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Solomon N. Boar has been accused of allegedly giving his blessings to gunmen who opened fire at unprovoked residents of Najong Number One in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District killing four in December 10, 2017.

At a press conference held in Tamale by elders of the troubled community, they wondered why the Minister they have entrusted their sovereignty and power cannot protect them but is allegedly backing one side against the other.

“It is clear and evident that the unrepentant Tanmung who have always found comfort in conflicts and trigger happy in almost all conflicts in Bimoba land, is happily and shamelessly involved in this cowardly and dastardly act of killing the four innocent souls with the support and blessing of their Kingpins; like Honourable Solomon N. Boar the MP for Bunkpurugu constituency and Deputy Regional Minister, Former MP Mr. Laar John Nirokinan (CEO of Rabito Clinic – Bunkpurugu) and one Mr. Kombat popularly known as ‘’Saa’’ at the blind side of some peace loving members of the Tanmung clan”

They are therefore demanding the immediate resignation of the Minister since as a Member of Parliament for the area he has taken sides in the matter and failed to live up to expectation.

Read full details of release below;

PRESS STATEMENT –THE ESCALATION OF BAUK/TANMUNG CONFLICT FROM SAYOO TO NAJONG No.1 IN THE BUNKPURUGU/YUNYOO DISTRICT

DATE: 21st December, 2017

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen of the press and thanks for honouring our invitation.

The entire Bauk Community in the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District of the Northern Region are saddened by the gruesome murder of four (4) people and the wounding of several others including women and children on a busy market day in Najong No.1 on Sunday 10th December, 2017 between 6:00pm and 7:00pm by a group of marauding youth on motorbikes suspected to be members of the Tanmung clan. We have been left in shock, disappointment and in pain.

The family is yet to recover and come to terms with the fact that a group of people in their right frame of mind can debase fellow Ghanaians and subject them to such dehumanizing and barbaric act of taking the lives of innocent and law abiding citizens whose only crime was transacting lawful business at the market square. It is crystal clear and a fact that traders were not engaged in any wrongdoing to deserve this senseless and cowardly act.

We are consoled by the outpouring of sympathy and show of love from well-wishers who can attest to the peaceful and law abiding nature of the Bauk clan in particular residents of Najong No.1. We are however, saddened by the misrepresentation and misinformation that are churned out mostly by the media and other commentators.

History

Ladies and Gentlemen of the press

Sayoo is a farming community in the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District occupied by the Bauk and Tanmung clans. A conflict arose over a productive parcel of land which was released by the Bauk clan to accommodate a Fulani tenant. This parcel of land became a bone of contention after the departure of the Fulani settler because it was fertile.

This resulted in serious confrontation between the feuding clans which ended up in the law court and was erroneously ruled in September, 1988 that the Tanmung clan owned Sayoo and not just the parcel of land in question. Sayoo was occupied by Bauk Rana who allowed his uncles (the Tanmung people) to cohabit with him.

After 2010 however, the fragile peace in the area was disturbed by the Tanmung chief in Sayoo when he demanded that the Bauk people should consult him to pour libation before putting up houses in their own land.

Upon refusal to meet his demands, this war monger mobilised his youth armed them and launched an attack on the Bauk people when they started building a house.

Now demanding that the entire Bauk people settled in Sayoo should vacate the land, resulting in a serious gun battle. It took the security forces time to calm the situation. After this incident however, a series of events took place as follows;

. They mounted road blocks to the only available road to prevent the Bauk people from accessing the commercial centres.

Prevented the drilling of a borehole in the Bauk people area (it should be noted that, those boreholes in question were sponsored by the MP Hon. Solomon N. Boar)

Prevented electricity extension to the Bauk by seizing the electrical poles to the Bauk settlement.

Refusal of the Tanmung people to allow for the siting of an electoral polling station for the Bauk territory.

These issues, even though reported to the District Security Council (DISEC) and the Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Solomon N. Boar who himself is from the Tanmung clan fell on deaf ears.

In fact, ladies and gentlemen of the press, this behavior of the MP is a clear manifestation that the MP took sides which is a stab on our back as the events have awaken us to the reality of the day.

These unresolved issues gave cause for the Chief of Nakpanduri; Naaba David M. Kansuk to intervene in the conflict.

A joint committee comprising Bauk and Tanmung was formed to find an amicable and lasting solution to the impasse. The resolution and recommendations of the committee is attached as appendix 1

Both parties agreed to the Nakpanduri Naaba’s ruling for the sake of peace and 30th of April, 2016, was proposed for a blood burial ceremony to take place to signify lasting peace in the area. However, this unrepentant and war mongering Tanmung clan who have incited and instigated almost all conflicts in Bimoba land, out of the blue rejected the peace plan led by the Chief in a letter dated 29th April, 2016 to Nakpanduri Chief, copied to DISEC and all Chiefs in Bimoba land citing the following reasons. See appendix 2 attached.

Two days after the aborted blood burial ceremony, the Tanmung Chief organized an attack on the Bauk people leaving many dead and several others wounded. The intervention of the Security Agencies calmed the situation but the Bauk clan could not access market centres and hospital through the main road due to eminent attacks from the Tanmung chief and his allies. An alternative route by the Bauk was also subjected to constant ambush which ultimately led to the murder of two Bauk youth.

It is clear and evident that the unrepentant Tanmung who have always found comfort in conflicts and trigger happy in almost all conflicts in Bimoba land, is happily and shamelessly involved in this cowardly and dastardly act of killing the four innocent souls with the support and blessing of their Kingpins; like Honourable Solomon N. Boar the MP for Bunkpurugu constituency and Deputy Regional Minister, Former MP Mr. Laar John Nirokinan (CEO of Rabito Clinic – Bunkpurugu) and one Mr. Kombat popularly known as ‘’Saa’’ at the blind side of some peace loving members of the Tanmung clan.

DEMANDS

Ladies and Gentlemen of the press

The Bauk Clan in the history of Bimoba land is law abiding, peaceful and sociable. These attributes cannot and should not be taken for granted. We have been pushed beyond our elastic limit and therefore demand the following:

Immediately institute an investigation into the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.

The immediate arrest of Mr. Kombat “’Saa’’ (A Businessman and Transport owner) who has made it his business of illegally transporting weapons into the area.

The current Member of Parliament and Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Solomon N. Boar as a matter of principle should do the honourable thing by resigning.

The Establishment of a Police Station in Najong No.1 to serve the security of the people in the central part of the District.

The immediate re-opening of the school in the Bauk side of the community.

Extend the suspended provision of borehole facilities and electricity to the Bauk settlement of Sayoo.

All closed roads reopened to facilitate free movement of people, goods and services.

Establishment of a District Court to serve the judicial needs of the people in the district.

CONCLUSION

Ladies and Gentlemen of the press

As a people and patriots, we state that the foundation of our existence and might has been tested and enough is enough. The pressure from the base is enormous but the opinion leaders are up to the task and calming the youth to desist from any reprisal but there is a limit to everything.

If the government, the Security Agencies and the Member of Parliament (MP) in whom we entrusted our sovereignty and power cannot protect and fight for us well….We will defend our land, our people and our destiny even at the peril of our lives. We don’t deserve this. Do we?

As we grieve, it is our expectation that the authorities with the assistance of the few peace loving people of Tanmung clan will find all the people involved and bring them to justice.

We the peace loving Bauk clan want to assure Ghanaians that we shall not reject or undermine any peaceful engagement with the state.

Family Spokesperson

Mr. Dubali Robert Maloni

Signed:

Name: Mr Paul Adambil-Laar

Name: Mr G. D. Yandam