Radio station attacked as tensions in Dagbon rise over new Yaa Naa

As preparations are being made towards finding a new Yaa Naa for the Dagbon Traditional Area in the Northern Regional capital of Tamale, new acts of violence have besieged the community.

On Friday night, a local radio station, Justice FM, was attacked by a group of people suspected to be sympathizers of the Andani Royal family, while a live programme was ongoing.

The intruders attacked the radio host of the show and the four panelists, who have been identified as members of the Dagbon Malima Zungo (DAMAZ), a pressure group that seeks to end the chieftaincy crisis.

In a report by Starrfmonline.com, the intruders then turned their anger to the radio station equipment, and destroyed some of the electrical gadgets.

The host of the station’s morning show, Yunus Yiripha, who confirmed the news to Starr FM, stated the DAMAZ group were responding to accusations by the youth of Andani Family, who said the group were political tools by the New Patriotic Party to undermine the right choice for Yaa Naa, in favour of their rival, Abudu.

The group had been further accused of working the runling NPP government to pressure the Andani Family to the negotiating table to end the decades old chieftaincy disputes.

According to Mr. Yiripha, some heavily built men burst into the studio during the group’s defense against the accusations and threw the entire place into disarray. He added that one man, who happened to just be a spectator in the studio at the time of the attack also suffered some attack from the intruders.

Yiripha said the police arrived after the intruders had managed to escape, but have secured the station, and have launched investigation into the attack.

Meanwhile, Regular radio programming has resumed at the station. However, it has been reported that on the same night, the Kpatinga Palace in Gushegu also suffered an attack, where unknown persons set fire to the palace, gutting three rooms.

Suale Alidu, the Assemblyman for the Nayilifong community, stated the attack occurred around midnight and caused the lost of several important traditional regalia among other things. The police have visited the scene with the elders of the palace, and are accessing the damage.