TOGBEGA GABASU’S REGALIA FOUND?
Snippets of information gathered by The Al-Hajj indicates that the whereabouts of the regalia belonging to the paramount chief of Gbi Traditional Council, Togbega Gabasu which was reported missing/stolen during the recent Hohoe conflict has been located.
Sources in Hohoe told The Al-Hajj over the weekend that the reported missing or stolen regalia of Togbe Gaabusu at the height of the conflict in Hohoe last June have been traced to a female relative of the Chief whose identity, for security reasons, cannot be disclosed for now.
Information available to this paper indicates that, after the youth set ablaze a vehicle belonging to the paramount chief and vandalized his house on that fateful day and had retreated, a sister of Togbega Gabusu VI, who also operates a hairdressing saloon in the vicinity collected a bag containing the regalia and insignia and deposited them with a food vendor nearby for safe-keeping.
According to a source, Togbega Gabusu's sister, came back for the items the following day from the food vendor, ostensibly to hand them back to the chief. As to whether the items have reached the paramount chief and the Gbi Traditional Council, our source was unable to say.
When this paper reached the police regional crime officer in Ho, he would neither confirm nor deny as to whether the missing regalia has been returned to the paramount chief, Togbega Gabusu. According to him, he is not authorized to speak and would rather wish we speak to the Police Regional Commander. At press time, all effort to contact the regional commander proved futile.
Muslim youth at Hohoe in the Volta Region on June 10, this year set ablaze a vehicle belonging to the paramount chief of Gbi Traditional Area, Togbega Gabusu VI.
The chief's entire palace was also vandalized by the rampaging youth who were protesting the exhumation of their Imam. The Muslims pointed accusing fingers at the paramount chief of the area, Togbega Gabusu VI for the exhumation of their Imam whose body was deposited on the road side.
Togbe Gaabusu's loyalists in retaliation burnt shops and houses owned by Muslims. Two people were confirmed dead, with several thousands of people displaced in the ensuing clashes, leading to the imposition of a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
However, the matter in Hohoe became grave the following Wednesday when the Gbi Traditional Council during a meeting with the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, Brigadier General Martin Ahiaglo issued an ultimatum that if by Friday 15th June, Togbega Gabusu VI's regalia, allegedly stolen during the rampage were not returned, they would advise themselves.
But when the ultimatum was due to expire for the Muslim youth to return the missing regalia or face the consequences, the Gbi Traditional Council softened its stance.
The decision follows intervention from stakeholders including, the Regional Security Council, the National Chief Imam as well as the presidency.