Police Urges Caution In Brekum Ahead Of 'Fulani War'

Police in the Brong Ahafo Region have cautioned residents against taking the law into their own hands in what appears to be an imminent threat of war between locals and nomadic herdsmen popularly called Fulani.

Brekum District Police commander, Supt Nicholas Opare Ofosuhene is rather calling for calm as the police and the stakeholders find a peaceful settlement to the menace.

The locals in Brekum are said to be arming themselves ahead of the expiration of a one-month deadline given to the herdsmen to vacate the area.

Recent clashes between the two groups have led to the death of 17 persons in the Brong Ahafo Region, 14 of whom are herdsmen and three locals.

At least, 13 people have sustained varying degrees of injuries and are receiving treatment at the hospital.

Nhyira FM’s Ohemeng Tawiah in a documentary titled, Violent Shepherds, reported that the residents of Brekum are getting ready for a full blown war with the herdsmen.

The residents are said to be piling up weapons ahead of what may be a bloody clash with the Fulani herdsmen.

Ohemeng Tawiah describes the situation in the Berekum enclave as a 'ticking time-bomb'.

Native chiefs and the people in seven communities, including Quataa, Teubebi, Mpatasie and Akukrom are getting ready for the onslaught, similar to an action taken by the residents two years ago.

One of the chiefs who took part in the clashes two years ago said they faced a more sophisticated Fulani men armed with AK47.

"They are well armed. Some of them used AK47. How can we use our locally manufactured guns and cutlasses," Quataahene Nana Kweku Baah Brentu II asked, adding, they had to come back home and reorganize to face the Fulani herdsmen.

They have therefore given an October 16 ultimatum for the Fulani herdsmen to vacate the land or be forced out, this time with sophisticated arms, not the cutlasses and locally made guns.

He said they will no longer sit aloof and watch the Fulani herdsmen takeover their lands.

He, together with the natives expect the district security council to support the indigenes in the impending war.

But the police command in the area is urging caution.

“You cannot just say once they have come to graze on your land, you are going to jump on them. When you do that it is going to be confrontational. It is either you harm them or they harm you.

"That is why we always advise them to exercise patience when the District Security meets to take a decision on it,” the Brekum District Police commander, Supt Nicholas Opare Ofosuhene said.

He would rather a stakeholders meeting is held to discuss the matter and find an amicable solution to the matter.

According to Joy FM’s Brong Ahafo Regional Correspondent, Precious Semevor, there is going to be Regional Security Council meeting at 2:00pm Wednesday, to discuss the matter.