The Government has deployed the Ghana Armed Forces and imposed curfews in Bawku and other areas following a spike in violence that has left three students dead and a Kusasi chief shot and killed in Kumasi.
Two students of Nalerigu Senior High School in the North East Region were shot in their dormitory on the night of Friday, July 25, 2025.
On the same night, a final-year student of Bawku Senior High School in the Upper East Region was also killed.
The attacks are believed to be linked to the long-standing Bawku chieftaincy dispute.
Earlier in the week, the Kusasi Chief of Asawase in the Ashanti Region, Naa Abdul-Malik Azenbe, was fatally shot in his residence by unknown gunmen said to be wielding an AK-47 rifle.
A few days later, another man was killed in broad daylight in the same community, further raising alarm among residents.
In a statement issued by the Presidency on Sunday, July 27, 2025, the government said it was shifting its approach from peacekeeping to what it called “peace enforcement” in response to the recent escalation.
“The Ghana Armed Forces have been deployed to maintain law and order, as we intensify curfews to ensure public safety,” the statement said.
The release, signed by Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Member of Parliament and Spokesperson to the President, said the military had been instructed to take all necessary steps to protect lives and property.
Mr Ofosu also acknowledged the role of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in mediating the conflict, noting that the efforts of the Asantehene, along with the Nayiri and Zugraana, had brought the process close to resolution before the renewed killings.
“These very recent killings have necessitated drastic actions to protect all in the interests of the greater good,” the statement said.
The government is urging all parties involved in the conflict to avoid violence and to support the peace process. Residents have also been advised to cooperate with security forces and to observe curfew regulations.
Although the Presidency expressed regret over the inconvenience caused by the heightened security presence, it said restoring calm in Bawku and the affected regions remained a top priority.
A dusk-to-dawn curfew has since been introduced in Nalerigu, alongside a ban on the possession of weapons.
Security agencies have commenced investigations into all recent incidents as public pressure mounts for swift and decisive action to contain the unrest spreading across the Upper East, North East and Ashanti regions.
The Bawku conflict, which stems from historical disagreements over chieftaincy and ethnic claims, has led to repeated outbreaks of violence and loss of life, despite earlier mediation efforts.