Armed military personnel have restored calm to Yamfo in the Tano North Municipality following violent clashes between the youth and local police.
The intervention became necessary on Friday, April 4, after a group of irate youth besieged the Yamfo Police Station and attempted to set it ablaze. The military responded swiftly, firing intermittent warning shots to disperse the crowd and prevent the situation from escalating further.
The tension reportedly erupted after police raided a location known for Indian hemp smoking and peddling. During the operation, officers allegedly assaulted a young man who was arrested at the scene. According to residents, the suspect later died at the Yamfo Health Center.
A resident, Adams Ibrahim, who works as a lotto agent, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that news of the young man’s death spread quickly, prompting the youth to mobilize and confront the police.
“They were angry after hearing he had died, so they moved straight to the police station,” he said.
When GNA visited the town, calm had returned, but military personnel remained present to ensure order. Health workers at the Yamfo Health Center, however, declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the death.
As of the time of filing this report, GNA has learned that the police personnel who were on duty at the Yamfo Police Station have been relocated by the military as investigations continue.