Tempane: Clash over land dispute leaves one severely injured in Kongo

A violent assault has left the people of Kongo, a village in the Tempane District of the Upper East Region, reeling after armed attackers stormed the community and unleashed mayhem.

The assailants inflicted gunshot, cutlass, and club wounds on residents, razed eight compound houses, and set fire to livestock and other valuable property.

Recounting the ordeal, Mr. Sulemana Abdulai, a community elder and brother of one of the victims, said the attack occurred on August 2 when a group of armed men descended on the village without provocation.

“I am still soaking the pressure and the blame because I have asked my people not to retaliate, hoping that the Police will intervene but we don’t see much. Some of my people are seriously injured. They were rushed to the hospital. Some, as I speak, have been transferred from Bolga Hospital to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital,” he said.

Mr. Abdulai appealed to government for urgent intervention, stressing that Kongo residents are Ghanaians and deserve equal protection under the law.

Kongo, which sits at a crossroads to Burkina Faso and Togo, is home to three main ethnic groups—the Bimobas, Mossi, and Fulbe (Fulani).

Confirming the incident, ASP Kwadwo Adu, Garu District Commander of the Ghana Police Service, said the matter had been reported and investigations were underway. “Some arrests had been made and investigation was ongoing,” he told this portal, assuring residents of police protection while warning against further attacks.

The Assemblyman for Kongo, Mr. Kakani Fatawu, described the assault as devastating, linking it to a long-standing land dispute currently before the Bolgatanga High Court.

He explained that efforts were being made to mediate between the factions, urging dialogue over violence. “We have lived together for many centuries and I wonder where all these misunderstandings and violence are coming from,” he lamented.

Mr. Fatawu called on security agencies, including the military, to step up patrols in the area and, if necessary, disarm armed groups. He warned that the region, already grappling with major conflicts, could not withstand another outbreak of violence.