Kongo: A group of assailants has attacked a community in Kongo, a village in the Upper East Region. They inflicted gun, cutlass, and club wounds on the people, leaving in their trail eight razed compound houses, burnt livestock, and other valuable items.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Sulemana Abdulai, an elder of the community and a brother of one of the victims, recounted the tragedy, stating that on August 2nd, the group stormed the area, shooting and threatening residents without any provocation. He appealed to the government to apply all necessary interventions to deter further attacks on the community, emphasizing that they were Ghanaians just like all other ethnic groups in the area.
Kongo is a community in the Tempani District of the Upper East Region, situated at a crossroads to Burkina Faso and Togo. The community is inhabited by three main ethnic groups: the Bimobas, the Mossi, and the Fulbes (Fulani). Mr. Abdulai expressed his efforts to prevent retaliation, hoping for police intervention, but noted that the response has been lacking. Many community members were seriously injured and rushed to hospitals, with some being transferred from Bolga Hospital to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
ASP Kwadwo Adu, the Garu District Commander of the Ghana Police Service, confirmed the attack and stated that some arrests had been made and investigations were ongoing. He assured the community of police protection and warned against further attacks.
Mr. Kakani Fatawu, Assemblyman for Kongo, also confirmed the attack's occurrence and its devastating impact. He identified a dispute over land use and ownership, currently before the Bolgatanga High Court, as the remote cause of the attack. He has personally engaged the factions, urging them to coexist and resolve their issues through dialogue and peaceful means. Mr. Fatawu appealed to the military and police to increase patrols in the area and disarm individuals if necessary, highlighting the region's current major conflict and the need to prevent further unrest.
