The Chiefs of Nanumba Traditional Area and the Dasana family in the Bimbila protracted dispute in the Northern region have strongly condemned a decision by the Regional Security Council headed by the minister, Salifu Saeed to grant the request for the burial of the late Nakpa Naa Salifu Dawuni.
The Security Council on Tuesday, October 10, 2017, gave a flying order to authorities of the Yendi Municipal Hospital requesting for the release of the body of the late chief from the morgue for burial.
According to the REGSEC, the decision was based “on a medical report on the deteriorating state of the mortal remain” of the chief who died on 5th March 2014.
It explained the decision was without prejudice to the chieftaincy dispute which was determined by the National House of Chiefs but currently pending before the Supreme Court for final determination and therefore advised the family not to engage in any that will endanger the peace of the area.
Already, about 200 joint security force has been deployed to guard the ceremony which comes off tomorrow, Thursday, October 12, 2017.
The body of the late Nakpa Naa who laid claim to the Bimbila skin was seized in 2014 by the previous Security Council and kept at the facility under tight security watch after violence among the Gbugmayili gate over who to represent the family for the Bimbila skin after the death of a chief coming from the Bangyili faction.
Naa Salifu Dawuni and Naa Andani Dasana were both enskinned as Bimbila Naa by different authority and after several clashes between the factions, the matter was sent to courts but both contenders died while it was still being heard at various authorities including National House of Chiefs.
The late Nakpa Naa died at Nakpayili but Naa Andani who at the time was the sitting chief of Bimbila was assassinated at his palace. He was buried in Bimbila and the family has since opposed efforts by the other family to bury the Nakpa Naa at the traditional burial ground in Bimbila.
Sporadic clashes have been recorded in the area following the misunderstanding and after three years of uncertainty, the regional security council gave the explosive decision which has risen tensions in Bimbila and Tamale.
In a brief press conference in Tamale, the conglomerate of sub-chiefs in the Nanun area said they were “interested in having a lasting solution to the Nanung chieftaincy crisis as soon as possible but added to ready to condone any illegality”.
The chiefs demanding clarity from the Security Council asked where the body would be buried and also legal documents proving that the body of the late Nakpa Naa should be buried now.
They served a notice stressing that they will resist any attempt to bury the late chief in Bimbila town because he had never been enskinned as Bimibila Naa.
Source: StarrFMonline.com/Eliasu Tanko
