Troops dispatched to Wa

A reinforcement of troops from the Military Airborne Force at Tamale and the Police have been dispatched to Wa to maintain peace following between two opposing factions to the Wa-Skin on Wednesday. A 16-year old bread seller was shot dead while five other people sustained various degrees of injury when hey caught in the cross0-fire of the two factions.

Briefing newsmen at Wa on the incident, the Deputy Regional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent George Anko-bil, said that the Wa-Na, Na Yakubu Seidu Soalia II, applied for permit to celebrate the annual "Dumba" festival from 25 to 31 May. But for security reasons, the Regional Security Committee (REGSEC) turned down the request and, accordingly, notified him.

Mr Anko-bil explained that on Wednesday, there was drumming and jubilation at the Wa-Na's palace over an alleged court ruling that went in their favour. That infuriated the opposing faction, leading to the exchange of gunfire. The Deputy Commander said that the timely intervention of Police and averted what would have been a bloodshed.

He said no weapons had been retrieved but that the police were making frantic efforts to have all illegal weapons in the system retrieved. He said that those arrested were being held for unlawful assembly, acts intended to breach the peace and possession of dangerous implements.

The police and the military have stepped-up their day and night patrols to ensure absolute peace in the area. By Thursday evening however, life seemed to have returned to normalcy with people busy about their normal activities. The Wa central market, for instance, was filed to capacity.