Two dead, over 50 houses burnt in attack on two communities

Two persons have been confirmed dead following a shooting spree in the Saleligu and Diya communities in the North Gonja district of the Northern Region.

Scores of houses have also been burned down completely in a reprisal within the two communities on Sunday.

The deceased, John Bukari, 45, and Dima Kara, 90, were found in Saleligu and Diya respectively by police officers from Daboya, the North Gonja district capital who were dispatched there after they received a report of violence in the two communities.

Whilst the body of John Bukari was found with gunshot wounds, that of Dima Kara was found burnt in one of the houses that were razed down.

According to the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer ASP Yussif Tanko, the Daboya-Wura sent some men to Saleligu and Diya to take royalties from some Fulani herdsmen but the men were attacked by the Tampulis who are the majority in the two communities.

Information of their attack reached Daboya where the Gonjas in both Daboya and Damongo in the West Gonja district organized themselves and launched attack on the two communities.

The casualties could have been more but for the fact that residents of Saleligu and Diya deserted the communities before the Gonja team arrived except the deceased who could not escape before the attackers arrived.

“Thirty-five houses were burnt down in Saleligu community with an unconfirmed number of houses also burnt in Diya”, ASP Yussif Tanko revealed.

He further indicated that security officers have taken over the two communities to ensure the volatile situation there is contained.