Calm has been restored in Sampa in the Bono Region after violent clashes linked to a chieftaincy dispute left one person dead and several others injured, including a police officer.
The violence broke out on Wednesday, September 10, disrupting months of relative peace in the area. The Jaman North District Chief Executive, Adane George, told GIFTs FM that the District Security Council had only recently considered recommending the lifting of the town’s curfew before gunfire erupted again.
A police officer who was shot is receiving treatment at the Sampa Government Hospital. Nearly half of the town’s main market was also destroyed by fire during the clashes.
Security forces were quickly deployed to restore calm, and both police and military personnel remain on the ground to prevent further violence. George said their presence is enough to maintain order.
“The disturbances created fear among residents. Many students and teachers stayed away from school because of the gunfire,” he said.
The unrest stems from disagreements over the chieftaincy succession and gazetting process, a dispute that has plagued the town for years.
