N/R: Three Shot As Gonjas Clash With Tampulmas

An all-out violence has broken out between Gonjas and Tampulmas in  three villages in the North Gonja district of the Northern Region in a renewed chieftaincy violence between the two ethnic tribes.

Nearly all houses in one of the villages, Dissah, have been burnt and three persons shot while high tensions brew at Saligu, Lingbinsi and Mankarigu, in the longstanding self-emancipation and recognition war between the majority Gonjas and Tampulmas in that part of the Gonjaland.

Sporadic clashes have broken out between the two ethnic tribes over the refusal of the Waspiwura Mimuni Kabasagya II and the Yagbonwura to create a paramountcy for the Tampulma ethnic tribe.

The Gonjas oppugned the demand of their neighbors and the youth have threatened an ethnic cleansing.

The violence was triggered Saturday afternoon in the evening when some armed Gonjas suspected to be from Wasipe palace in Daboya, stormed the Tampulma territories to take royalties from a group of Fulani herdsmen living in the area.

A resident said the armed men numbering over 15 arrived in Mankarigu and begun spreading out to nearby Tampulma villages to exact monies from the herdsmen.

At Mankarigu, the armed Gonjas were overpowered, confined and later arrested when the Tampulmas resisted the move.

The arrested Gonjas were released by the Tampulmas, however, fighting resumed Sunday dawn when police from Tamale arrested some suspects suspected to have carried out the Saturday afternoon attack.

Bugtila Muniru told Starr News another armed men attacked the Dissah, at about 3am, Sunday dawn and set ablaze the entire village. Residents have fled towards Lingbinsi.

Another village, Saligu was also attacked and many houses have been left in flames.

Residents said the attackers are moving towards Mankarigu despite the presence of armed soldiers in the area.

About six people were injured and motorbikes destroyed in similar tensions last year.

Source: StarrFMonline