Bolgatanga, May 15, GNA – Two persons have been confirmed dead, while seven others who are in critical condition are receiving treatment at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital in the Upper East Region, following a chieftaincy dispute on Saturday night.
Sources at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital said the seven, who are in critical condition, are responding to treatment.
It is not clear exactly what might have caused the clash but reports say confusion broke out during a funeral where representatives of the two royal families were present.
The resultant violent clashes also led to two houses being set on fire.
The sporadic gun shots; machete wielding young men prowling around; and the pelting of stones frightened residence of the Atulbabisi suburb who had to abandon their homes to seek refuge with friends and relatives at other suburbs of Bolgatanga.
It took the Ghana National Fire Service several hours to quench the fire engulfing the two houses, but several properties including motor bikes belonging to both factions were destroyed.
When the Ghana News Agency contacted Superintendent, Samuel Punobyin, the Bolgatanga Municipal Police Commander, he said so far no arrest has been made but the command has intensified its investigations to ascertain the cause of the clash.
The chieftaincy dispute which is still pending in court is between the two royal families of Bolgatanga- Naba Raymond Alafia Abilba II, who was enskinned by the traditional chief makers; and Naba Joseph Abeka Nonge-Buuri, enskinned by the Nayiri, Paramount Chief of the Manpurugu traditional area.
Meanwhile, calm has returned to the area as there is heavy military and police patrols in the area.
GNA
By Samuel Akapule, GNA
