By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, June 9, GNA – About 15 persons have sustained rubber bullet injuries during a protest against the police in connection with the disturbances between some residents of Sherigu community in the Bolgatanga Municipality and Fulanis.
The victims were alleged to have been shot by the police when some youth went to the Bolgatanga District Police Station to protest the arrest of six of their colleagues for allegedly leading an attack on Fulani settlement near the community.
They were also alleged to have planned to attack the Fulanis a second time, and the Sherigu Chief as well.
According to Mr Francis Amoah, the Assemblyman for Sherigu-Punpungo Electoral Area, the victims were receiving treatment at healthcare facilities in the Municipality.
Some residents of Sherigu accused the Fulanis in the community, to have, on numerous occasions, attacked, killed, and raped women in the area particularly along the Sherigu-Naaga road.
Mr Amoah told the Ghana News Agency, that it all started about two weeks ago when some residents asked the Fulanis to vacate the community, accusing them of the rampant armed robbery incidents in the area which had led to the death of one person.
The youth also accused the Fulanis of always allowing their cattle to destroy their crops and wanted them out of the community.
The police initially arrested six people who were said to be the ring leaders and that angered the youth to protest, which led to 15 persons being injured by the rubber bullets.
The police later in a swoop arrested 61 persons in connection with the disturbances.
Mr Rex Asanga, the Municipal Chief Executive for Bolgatanga, said he visited the victims who were in stable condition and explained that the youth had besieged the police station and attacked the police officers by pelting stones, causing damage to some properties.
He said the police, in their effort to disperse the rampaging youth used rubber bullets which caused some injuries to the victims.
He said the youth asked the Fulanis in the community to leave the area, and the action displaced about 170 Fulanis who were currently hosted at the Bolgatanga Sports Stadium.
He said the Municipal Security Council was working seriously to find a lasting solution to the problem and urged all stakeholders to remain calm.
“We were working on resolving the issue until it escalated, so we are not sleeping on it. We are trying to get the community to agree to have the Fulanis back to the community because a lot of their cattle are still there without anybody attending to them,” he said.
The 61 persons were taken to court and eight juveniles (minors) were granted bail while the rest were remanded into prison custody.
They are scheduled to reappear in court on June 19, 2023.
GNA