Nyankpala Shooting: Youth group demands progress on 2024 election violence probe

Some concerned residents of Nyankpala in the Tolon District of the Northern Region have petitioned the government to expedite investigations into the violence that occurred during the December 7, 2024, general elections, which resulted in the death of Shaibu Haruna, popularly known as Alhaji.

The violence reportedly broke out over allegations of vote-buying and escalated into shooting.

Shaibu Haruna was killed in the incident, while two others sustained serious injuries.

Speaking at a press conference on September 27, 2026, Alhassan Alhassan, Spokesperson for the Concerned NDC Youth in Nyankpala expressed concern about the pace of the investigation nearly two years after the incident.

“We want the circumstances surrounding the incident to be properly established through a lawful investigation, and we want the affected family and community to receive appropriate information about the progress of the case,” he said.

Alhassan acknowledged that the Ghana Police Service has indicated that investigations are ongoing, as well as engagements between authorities and stakeholders since the incident.

However, he said the slow progress of the investigation remained a concern.

“It has been almost two years since the incident occurred. The passage of time creates concerns about the preservation of evidence, the availability and recollection of witnesses, and the continual uncertainty faced by the affected families,” he said.

He also raised concerns about a description of a suspect provided by the Minister of the Interior, Mohamed-Mubarak Muntaka, during a Government Accountability Series briefing on August 24, 2026.

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According to him, the minister said efforts to apprehend the perpetrators had not been successful.

He said the description of the suspect provided during the briefing might not correspond with information available concerning the case.

“We therefore respectfully call on the relevant authorities to review that description against their official records and available evidence. If the description is found to be inaccurate, we request that the necessary clarification or correction be made publicly,” he said.

The group has outlined seven action points in its petition, including a call for authorities to expedite the investigation into Shaibu Haruna’s death and the injuries sustained by other victims.

They are also calling for investigators to be provided with the necessary support and resources to pursue credible leads and bring the investigation to an evidence-based conclusion.

The group further wants authorities to review the suspect description given during the Interior Minister’s August 24, 2026, briefing and issue a public clarification if it is found to be inaccurate.

It has also called for the affected family to be given an appropriate update on the progress of the investigation while protecting sensitive information, witnesses and evidence.

JKB/VPO

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