A fresh wave of deadly violence has struck Bawku, where at least 15 lives have been claimed in escalating tensions.
On October 27, 2024, assailants set up roadblocks in Gbimsi and Walewale towns, targeting and slaughtering eight individuals in what residents are describing as a gruesome attack.
Agbambilla Ziyerley Maxwell, the legal counsel for the Bawku Naaba, expressed his distress over the mounting deaths, disclosing on Joy News that, “We have currently lost a minimum of 15 people in Bawku and some are being slaughtered in Walewale.”
Agbambilla placed blame on the Attorney-General for not acting promptly following a recent court ruling. On October 17, 2024, a Kumasi High Court lifted an arrest warrant against Alhaji Seidu Abagre, a rival chief who had been in exile since February 2023.
The court’s decision, Agbambilla noted, stemmed from the Attorney-General’s lack of response, and he emphasized that a new warrant should have been issued immediately.
“The Attorney-General simply could have issued another arrest warrant but they didn’t do that,” he stated, adding that this oversight has led to Alhaji Seidu’s return, exacerbating tensions in Bawku.
The return of Alhaji Seidu has left the Bawku Naaba discontented, with fears of further unrest growing as the conflict remains unresolved.
Agbambilla is urging authorities to implement swift actions, as families in Bawku and Walewale endure the repercussions of these unyielding rivalries.