No Agbogbloshie tensions spill over in Northern Region – Police

Police and intelligence gathering infrastructures in the Northern region have said claims of possible spillover of ethnic violence yesterday at Agbogbloshie in Accra where at least two fatalities were recorded is false and unfounded.

A bloody clash between migrant Konkombas and Dagombas in the nation’s capital resulted in several casualties on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 sparking reports of a spillage into the Northern region. The two tribes remain technically at war after the Guinea Fowl War in 1994.

Tensions were reported among members of the two tribes in Bimbila and the Saboba districts after reports that people were being phoned from Accra to arm themselves and attack.

Residents of Tongu, a Konkomba village in the Nanumba North district reported to Kasapa News by phone that an extension of the Agbogbloshie violence had occurred after loud screams were heard from houses, but a son of chief of the area denied and said there was a mild scuffle between two Konkomba brothers which was quickly settled.

The Regional police commander ACP Patrick Adusei Sarpong expressed outrage at the escalating rumor and slammed the media for ‘needlessly inciting fear and panic’.

“We don’t have such information and why should there be a spillover? So because they are fighting in Accra there should be a fight in the Northern region”?

He said there was no such intelligence and police strongly ruled out possibility of the incident before later advising the media to be objective.

“What I hate even to hear is about…is it about all konkombas in Accra and all Dagombas in Accra? If two people are fighting- Salifu and Abdullah are fighting, why can’t you say Salifu and Abdullah are fighting but we should go ahead and say Dagaati and Frafra when they have names”, the police boss raged.

Tensions have escalated in some parts of the Northern region from violence in other regions especially in Accra. In 2009 tensions were raw in Tamale, Tolon, Yendi and Bimbila when three young men were killed in ethnic clashes.

Nonetheless, the regional Security Council told Kasapa News security forces are on high alert and will deal roundly with violence excesses from any region.