Dagbon Feud Hits Accra

Afa Isa Continuous violence and bloody attacks are being unleashed on persons living in the Kokomba Market in Accra who are suspected to have a hand in the assassination of the late traditional ruler of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani.

The attacks have lasted for over three weeks and involve rampant free-for-all shooting, burning of houses, knifing of people and looting of properties.

A number of families have fled the area and fathers cannot trace the whereabouts of their wives and children who got missing during the attacks.

There are fears that the attacks may escalate and degenerate into a rather bigger battle, if care is not taken.

DAILY GUIDE can report that the issue has taken a political dimension and on a number of occasions, well-known political leaders have gone to the James Town Police Station to bail out persons who are being investigated on suspicions that they have a hand in the attacks.

Investigations revealed that the attacks have so far been led by machete and gun-wielding fanatics of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who claim that supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the area would not be allowed to know peace until they produce the killers of the late Yaa Naa.

DAILY GUIDE has gathered that despite the political dimension, the attacks have been mainly betewwn Abudus and Andani, both from the Dagbon tribe.

Indeed leading members of the NDC have constantly accused the previous NPP government of being responsible for the assassination of Yaa Naa.

The party's founder, ex-President John Rawlings is on record to have stated that he was aware of Cabinet Ministers of the past government who had a hand in Yaa Naa's death, and his party had constantly used the issue for its political campaigns with a promise to bring the perpetrators of the injustice to book when it comes to  power.

The attackers claim they were promised that if they voted for the NDC to come to power, the party would ensure that the killers of Yaa Naa were arrested and brought to book and until that is done, they would continue to terrorise persons who support the party that has been accused of being behind the death of the Yaa Naa.

Afa Isa, a Youth Leader in the Kokomba Market and a supporter of the NPP, told this paper that he was last Tuesday dragged out of his room and assaulted by persons openly known as members of the NDC who accused him of being part of the killers of Yaa Naa.

He said his wife and children were chased out of the room during the attack and he has no idea where they are now.

Since the attacks started, a number of NPP members have constantly reported that they are being chased out of the area by people known to be members of the NDC.

During one of such attacks, Alhassan Husen, the NPP organiser for the area, had his right eye burst and removed, and other members of the party knifed in broad daylight.

Apparently, it was the same group of attackers who about a month ago butchered to death one Suleman, a member of the NPP in the area.

The attackers, in broad daylight, usually freely fire gun-shots into the air and order members of the NPP to leave the area.

By Halifax Ansah-Addo