CALM has returned to Buipe, the capital of the Central Gonja District in the Northern Region, after renewed clashes between two factions in a protracted chieftaincy dispute in the area last Monday.
One person, Mahama Abdulai, a brother of the Buipewura Jinapor II, was killed in Monday’s disturbances, while two others sustained various degrees of injury.
Twenty people have been arrested by the security agencies in connection with the violence.
As of press time yesterday, there were reports of arson and skirmishes from both sides of the conflict.
The Northern Regional Security Committee was also in a meeting with the leadership of both sides in the dispute, the Jinapor and the Yaafa gates, and members of the Central Gonja Security Committee to fashion out plans to resolve the matter and ensure sustainable peace in the newly created district.
According to the District Chief Executive, Mr Yakubu Zakaria, the latest incident occurred as a result of the confusion over which of the two gates had the right to collect tolls from traders at the Buipe Market.
He said for some time now there had been a misunderstanding over the collection of tolls on market days, for which reason the district security committee had appealed to the two sides to suspend the collection until the matter had been amicably resolved.
Mr Zakaria explained that on market day last Monday when elders of the Buipewura went to collect the tolls, it generated some tension between them and some members of the Yaafa Gate.
The chief executive said while the chief’s elders were on their way back home after the security agencies had compelled them to stop their activities, some people attacked the elders, resulting in the death of Abdulai.
Earlier in June this year when there was a similar clash between the two factions, one person lost his life, with several others sustaining injuries, following a ruling by the Judicial Council of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs.
Since the death of the chief of the traditional area in 2006, there has been an uneasy calm as a result of continuous disagreements over the rightful heir to the royal skin.
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