Government infrastructures and amenities have been blocked for more than half a dacade from reaching residents of Sayoo near Nakpanduri in Bunkprugu Yunyoo district of the Northern Region as violence to drive out members of the minority Bauk clan from the area appear difficult to control.
Dozens of members of the clan are fleeing daily from deadly ambush attacks and random raids in what is described as domestic terrorism being perpetrated allegedly by members of the Tanmung clan since a land dispute between the clans triggered in 2010.
No developmental intervention from the state or NGOs have been able to reach the community seven years today after a Tanmung chief leaving in Sambriluk launched a crackdown to forcibly evict the Bauk people from the Sayoo community for challenging his authority by laying claim to a parcel of land which had been released to accommodate a Fulani tenant.
Road blocks have been mounted on the only available route to the Sayoo community which has prevented the Bauk people from accessing the commercial centres in the district.
A borehole project sponsored by the Member of Parliament to serve as source of good drinking water has been prevented leaving the people struggling with domestic animals and reptiles for water from very unclean sources.
The people have also seized electrical poles meant to extend power to the Sayoo community and prevented the electoral commission from sitting an electoral polling station for the territory.
The only school in the area has been shut down and children are staying at home following incessant attacks on teachers teaching in the community allegedly by the Tanmung terror gang.
Many people travelling out from the community to access markets, healthcare, financial institutions, schools and other basic amenities have been murdered in ambush strikes including the chief, Wabjoon Kamotan and his heir assassinated last year in the ongoing aggression against the Bauk clan.
These shocking disclosures were revealed for the first time at an emotional news briefing in Tamale by chiefs and Elders of the Bauk clan leaving in Najong 1 where gunmen killed four and wounded 13 traders at a market.
The chiefs after almost a month since the fatal attack happened, and police yet to make any significant arrest, have linked it to a spill over of the ongoing target attacks on members of the Bauk clan.
“It is clear and evident that the unrepentant Tanmung who have always found comfort in conflicts and trigger happy in almost all conflicts in Bimoba land, is happily and shamelessly involved in this cowardly and dastardly act of killing the four innocent souls with support and blessing of their kingpins”, spokesman for the clan, Mr. Dubali Robert Maloni said in a statement.
The chiefs in the press briefing went down history saying the land dispute between the two Bimoba clans started in September, 1988 following an “erroneous court ruling” favouring the Tanmungs as the rightful owners of the land which had been released to a nomadic Fulani herdsman by then chief of Bauk people.
They stressed strongly that the gunmen who ‘deliberately’ killed the traders were members of the Tanmung clan and were being sponsored by the Member of Parliament for area and Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Solomon Boar and other high profile members of the Tanmung clan including a Former MP and CEO of Rabbito clinic, Mr. Laar John Nirokinan and one Kombat Saa.
These acts, according to the chiefs have been reported to deputy minister who himself is a member of the Tanmung clan but he has repeatedly failed to take any action to stop the abuse and killings.
Mr. Solomon Boar has been accused of covertly supporting his kinsmen to continue the crackdown on the Bauk clan and in a string of demands, he is being asked to step down as Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister for falling to protect the lives of his constituents.
The chiefs have also demanded for an investigation into the matter and stop the Tanmung from further carrying any form of hostility against the Bauk clan, the immediate arrest of Mr. Combat Saa who they claim has been illegally stockpiling weapons to arm the Tanmung clan.
The immediate reopening of the only school in the community, extend the suspended provision of borehole facilities and electricity to the Bauk settlement of the community and reopen all blocked roads to facilitate free movement of people, goods and services.
“As people and patriots, we state that the foundation of our existence and might have been tested and enough is enough. The pressure from the base is enormous but the opinion leaders are up to task and calming the youth to desist any reprisal attack but there is a limit to everything”, the chiefs warned.
They added: “if the government, Security Agencies and the Member of Parliament in whom we entrusted our sovereignty and power cannot protect and fight for us, we will defend our land, people and destiny even at the peril of our lives”.
The MP and all other personalities mentioned in the report of spearheading the attacks were not available to comments.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Eliasu Tanko
