Six die in chieftaincy clash in East Gonja

There are fears of reprisal attacks in spite of the heavy deployment of Police and Military personnel in and around Kalampor and Kafaba, two farming communities near Salaga in the East Gonja district of the Northern region, after six (6) people were reportedly killed during the exchange of gunfire today.

The incident took the Police by surprise in spite of warning signals of possible clashes according to aggrieved residents some of whom are fleeing the area.

It is unclear who may have started the gun battle between the two Chieftaincy factions. The Police, however, is tight-lipped for now on information gathered so far.

No arrests have been made and the situation is very volatile especially because it is linked to the Damba Festival which nearly resulted in a similar clash at Bimbila in the Nunumba district of the north.

The Northern Regional Police Command has assured officers deployed are capable of maintaining the relative peace but cannot guarantee the free movement of people, especially in deprived farming areas.

XYZ News’ Northern Regional correspondent, Isaac Nognya reports the clashes between the two communities can be linked to a long-standing chieftaincy dispute over who is the rightful ruler of the Kafaba and Kalampor traditional areas with the people of Kalampor contesting the kingship of the overlord of Kafaba.

Last year, similar clashes between the two communities over the same dispute led to the deaths of eight people in May.