The town of Walewale in the North East Region has been thrown into turmoil following a violent military crackdown triggered by a vehicle fire.
The incident began when a vehicle transporting pepper from Bawku to Accra caught fire due to an electrical fault, but it quickly escalated into chaos as armed soldiers descended on the town, leaving civilians in distress.
Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of violence, including the beating of civilians and destruction of property.
“We saw policemen being beaten, and then the soldiers started attacking anyone they could catch. They even pulled a young girl aside and smashed her phone,” one resident recounted.
Another victim shared how soldiers surrounded a local gathering spot, forcing people to lie on the ground without explanation and assaulting them.
“I was holding my food, and I hadn’t even eaten yet, but they threw it away and started beating us. We don’t know why this is happening. We need justice,” he said.
Residents are now calling for accountability and transparency, urging authorities to investigate the incident and hold those responsible to account.
The events in Walewale have reignited concerns about military-civilian relations in the region, with local leaders emphasizing the need for better engagement to prevent such incidents in the future.
