Calm has returned to Sokode-Ando, a farming community in the Ho municipality of the Volta region, where clashes between the indigenes and nomadic herdsmen, resulted in the injuring of some police men on Wednesday.
The angry locals reportedly laid ambushed on a team of police men who went to the area to quell tensions between them and the nomadic herdsmen, who they accused of murdering a man on his farm last week.
The indigenes, after reporting the alleged killing to the police on Monday, decided to flush out the herdsmen from the area, leading to the scuffle.
Attempts by the Police to evacuate the nomads from the area to avert further clashes infuriated a local vigilante group which laid ambush on the officers, beating them to pulp, with two sustaining severe injuries.
They also mounted road blocks on a section of the Ho-Accra road to prevent any herdsman from leaving the area.
It took the intervention of a police reinforcement team from the regional command to restore order and also clear the road for traffic flow.
Starr News’ visit to the community, revealed a calm atmosphere in the area with residents going about their normal duties.
The Volta regional police command has also confirmed the retrieval of three police riffles seized by the angry indigenes during the scuffle, through the intervention of a mediation team comprising the assembly member of the area and some opinion leaders.
The two injured officers are also responding to treatment at the regional hospital in Ho, according to the Deputy Regional Commander, ACP Nana Asomah Hinneh.
Mr. Wisdom Bedzrah, Unit Committee Chairman of Sokode, wants the authorities to flush out all nomadic herdsmen from the area, for lasting peace to prevail.
He said the continuous stay of the nomads in the area, saw destruction of their farms by their cattle, thus raising tension among them and the indigenes.
Mr. Bedzrah, however, expressed remorse over the attack on the police men by the angry locals assuring that steps will be taken to forestall any such incident in the area.
