Tamale, Feb 15, GNA – Members of the Northern Regional Security Council and the Tamale Metropolitan Security Council have paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Lamashegu in Tamale as part of efforts to de-escalate tension in the area.
The courtesy call was also to commend the Chief for saving the situation as well as express their condolences to the bereaved family, the victims and apologise for the incident.
This was in relation to last Sunday’s shooting incident at the Lamashegu Chief’s palace involving a Police Patrol team.
On Sunday afternoon, February 13, some Police officers allegedly shot at a driver of an unregistered vehicle at the Lamashegu Chief’s palace in Tamale.
The driver allegedly refused to stop after he was signalled to do so by the Police and they pursued him to the palace.
Stray bullets also allegedly hit some bystanders and all the injured were rushed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital for treatment.
One of the injured, a boy believed to be 16 years, who just graduated from JHS, died of his injuries on Sunday.
Tension was high in the area following the incident.
According to eye-witnesses, but for the timely intervention by the Chief of Lamashegu, one of the Police officers would have been subjected to a mob attack by the irate youth among other possible escalations.
Meanwhile, six Police officers of the Police Patrol team at the centre of the incident have since been interdicted to help in the investigation, which has since begun.
Members of the joint Security Council assured the Chief and residents that the authorities were determined to get to the bottom of the matter and accordingly punish any officer or officers, who would be found culpable among other interventions.
They also appealed to the public, particularly residents of Lamashegu, to remain calm as well as cooperate with the Police in the investigation.
Naa Ziblim Abdulai, Chief of Lamashegu, called on the Police to be professional in the performance of their duties to ensure peace in the country.
He also appealed for some local stakeholders to be made part of the Police Investigative team to ensure transparency.
GNA