Police, Madina Youth Clash

Eight people, including two policemen, sustained various degrees of injury following a violent clash between the police and a section of the youth at the Madina Zongo Junction in Accra Tuesday.

Twenty people were arrested in the melee, which erupted over the ownership of a parcel of land.

The injured were rushed to the 37 Military Hospital, the Police Hospital and Care Clinic, a private clinic in the area.

The Madina Zongo Junction area was thrown into chaos when the police fired tear gas, rubber and live ammunition to disperse angry youth protesting the take-over of a parcel of land by the Faith Community Baptist School Complex.

According to the demonstrators, the land was the only available space in the area for public activities, including political rallies, church crusades and Islamic festivities.

The land in question has been a subject of litigation between the Baptist Church and some members of the community for close to 17 years and the issuance of a writ of possession by an Accra High Court for the church to take over the land, which a bailiff served on the people occupying the land for them to vacate the place within two weeks, sparked the riot.

When the Daily Graphic arrived at the scene, calm had returned but there were dozens of angry youth who were discussing the issue among themselves.

Some kiosks and food vending tables in the Zongo community had been destroyed, while at the Faith Community Baptist School Complex glass windows had been shattered by stone-throwing youth.

A police vehicle was seen patrolling the area, while an armoured vehicle and several police patrol vehicles were stationed at the school, with more than 40 armed policemen on guard.

'Look at what they have done here,' one of the protesters, Mr Abdul Rahman Idriss, said, pointing to a kiosk ridden with bullets.

'The land is a community land and we are going to protect it, even at our peril,' he added.

With his palms full of some of the spent shells, Mr Idriss accused the police of moving from house to house to harass innocent people who had nothing to do with the demonstration.

According to him, the demonstration had the blessing of the police, saying it was progressing peacefully until the arrival of the Madina District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent David S. Eklu, who ordered his men into action.

But Chief Supt Eklu discredited the allegations, saying the demonstrators had no permit and had violated the Public Order Act.

The act stipulates that any person who intends to hold any such event must inform the police in writing not less than five clear days before the event and that should the police request the organisers to postpone or relocate the event, the organisers should within 48 hours notify the police in writing of their willingness to comply.

Chief Supt Eklu said his office was notified of the demonstration at 8 a.m., two hours after it had received a distress call that the school was under attack.

'We dispatched officers there to disperse the demonstrators, which they did, only for them to re-group and cause more trouble,” he stated, adding that he ordered his men to bring the situation under control because the atmosphere was tense and the youth were getting out of hand.

According to him, it took reinforcement from the Accra Regional Police Headquarters and the Police Headquarters to restore order.

Chief Supt Eklu said those arrested would be provisionally charged with offences, including rioting, causing damage and violation of the Public Order Act.