Bawku: Arrest, prosecute those barbaric, heartless military personnel who shot dead 48-year-old woman — Queen mothers, women

Queen mothers and women in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region are demanding justice for the family of a 48-year-old woman shot dead in the area.

They said the military in Bawku allegedly shot Madam Dauda Mariama, a mother of four dead at Sabon-gari on Tuesday 20th December 2022 at night.

She was reportedly shot at a close range in her home when she was moving from her room to her husband's room.

Speaking at a press conference in Bawku, the Paramount queen mother of the Kusaug traditional area, Poanaba Alassbuudi Veronica II wants justice for the family of the deceased.

"The murder of Madam Mariama is a testimony of the unprofessional and inhumane behaviour adopted in the recent past by the current crop of Military personnel stationed in Bawku to protect lives and properties.

"These unprofessional soldiers followed her into the house where she lived and shot her in the head by her door for no reason and without any provocation or resistance," she stated.

According to her, this was not the first time the military in Bawku shot and killed a woman.

"Is the curfew effective in Bawku? It will be recalled that the Kusasi old man and his son as well as the three Kusasi men who were murdered by Mamprusi gunmen on 17th December, 2022, and 19th December, 2022, respectively happened during curfew hours.

"These questions are relevant because of the current brutalities and murder of women and children in Bawku, which are clear signs of bias and side-taking by the Military officers in Bawku. It is now clear the strength of the military is reduced to the murder of the weak and the vulnerable in society.

"Some few months ago, the same Military went to Zoogo and killed a woman and a 14-year-old girl, burnt their properties, shot and killed their animals and were allowed to go unpunished.

"Again the Military went to Sabongari on 19th December, 2022 during curfew hours and fired warning shots and the entire community fled, upon realizing that the community members had fled, they burnt a Motor Tricycle.

"As if that was not enough, they returned to the same community, Sabongari and murdered madam Mariama," she intimated.

She wants the military investigated and the culprits punished.

"We are calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those barbaric and heartless Military personnel, the only way that the women of Bawku will forgive the Military for their wicked and unprofessional act against women," she emphasised.

Below is the full statement:
PRESS CONFERENCE ORGANISED BY THE QUEEN MOTHERS AND WOMEN OF KUSAUG ON THE MURDER OF MADAM MARIAMA DAUDA IN SABONGARI, A SUBURB OF BAWKU, ON THURSDAY,22ND DECEMBER 2022

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, we are so grateful for your timely response to our call even at a very short notice, we indeed appreciate your usual support in getting the world informed and educated on the happenings in Bawku and Kusaug at large in respect of the unprofessional conduct by the military stationed in Bawku.

We, the Queen Mothers and Women of Kusaug woke up on the morning of 20th December, 2022, with the unfortunate news of the gruesome murder of our sister and daughter, Madam Mariama Dauda by the Military, which sad event occurred around 11:30 pm in her house in Sabongari.

The murder of Madam Mariama is a testimony of the unprofessional and inhumane behaviour adopted in the recent past by the current crop of Military personnel stationed in Bawku to protect lives and properties.

These unprofessional soldiers followed her into the house where she lived and shot her in the head by her door for no reason and without any provocation or resistance.

Madam Mariama, a 48-year-old mother of (4) four children is an ordinary citizen who deserves the same protection and support of the national security.

Why then should the military brutally attack and murder her as if she was armed, or an enemy to the state? She could have been arrested.

We wish to call on the Military High Command to critically consider the following questions on the happenings in Bawku regarding the murder of women and children during peacekeeping:

Are the Military deployed to protect lives and property or the reverse?

In conflict and War situations are the Military allowed to kill unarmed citizens?

Are women now part of the target group of the Military?

Is the curfew effective in Bawku? It will be recalled that the Kusasi old man and his son as well as the three Kusasi men who were murdered by Mamprusi gunmen on 17th December, 2022, and 19th December, 2022, respectively happened during curfew hours.

These questions are relevant because of the current brutalities and murder of women and children in Bawku, which are clear signs of bias and side-taking by the Military officers in Bawku. It is now clear the strength of the military is reduced to the murder of the weak and the vulnerable in society.

Some few months ago, the same Military went to Zoogo and killed a woman and a 14-year-old girl, burnt their properties, shot and killed their animals and were allowed to go unpunished.

Again the Military went to Sabongari on 19th December, 2022 during curfew hours and fired warning shots and the entire community fled, upon realizing that the community members had fled, they burnt a Motor Tricycle.

As if that was not enough, they returned to the same community, Sabongari and murdered madam Mariama.

We are calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those barbaric and heartless Military personnel, the only way that the women of Bawku will forgive the Military for their wicked and unprofessional act against women.

Until this is done, we are determined to use the power of woman, obviously not by arms against the Military in Bawku to ensure that nature will deal with them wherever they go.

We are by this press conference making a clarion call on Hon. Ministers for National Security and Defence to ensure that women are not targets in attempts to maintain peace and security in Bawku to avoid dragging us into the war.

We humbly appeal to the Hon. Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection to rise up to our cry for justice.

In conclusion we would in the future resist any unprofessional and or deliberate acts by the security against us.

Thank you all for the attention
God Bless Women
God Bless our Queen Mothers and Chiefs
God bless Kusaug.
God bless Ghana.
THANK YOU.