Calm returns to Awhiaa after bloody clashes
Calm is gradually returning to Ahwiaa in the Kwabre East District of the Ashanti Region after a violent confrontation between some residents and Zongo youth on Saturday morning
The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC), has deployed a combined team of the police and military to patrol the community throughout the night aimed at consolidating peace, stability as well as protecting lives and properties.
This is to bring total tranquility and also stem the wanton destruction of property; several properties including vehicles were vandalized in the process.
Seven suspects have been arrested so far with firearms, ammunition and dangerous weapons retrieved. According to the police, all the suspects whose identities are yet to be known have been sent to Regional Headquarters for further investigation.
Addressing journalists after meeting with chiefs from both sides of the community, The Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Fred Anim said the police will find a lasting solution to the long-standing feud between the two factions.
The Zongo leaders in the area later met the youth at the Awhiaa Mosque where he called on them to always seek guidance and advice from their leaders before taking any action. He also asked the youth to refrain from acts of violence.
A visit to the area by OTECNEWS’ Nana Asare Barimah saw all major roads leading to the area blocked as security personnel patrolled some of the streets to stop further aggression by the irate youth.
Economic and transportation activities had since also been halted as residents had taken cover in their houses.
Speaking to OTECNEWS, the Assemblyman for Ahwiaa, Mr. Vasco Brenyah, revealed that the pandemonium was triggered by a misunderstanding between some youth indigenes of the area and their Zongo counterparts.
“A certain misunderstanding between Asante line boys and Zongo line boys. It is a just a certain group of young boys. We don’t know how this came about but it has been happening since 1999. We’ve not seen any such conflict over the years but it is just yesterday it happened again,” he said.
This was after some of the Zongo youth were prevented from taking part in social gatherings organized by some of the natives on Friday
Several people were reported injured in the violent clashes between Muslim youth and some youths in the town over a misunderstanding between the two youth group.
According to OTECNEWS’ Nana Asare Barimah who was at the scene reported that Wielding machetes, clubs, knives and hammers by some irate Muslim youth who claimed to be fighting a jihad, violently and indiscriminately assaulted anyone they could find on the streets.
Nana Asare Barimah reported that Police in the region fired warning shots to calm the situation.
The injured persons were taken to Tafo Government Hospital for treatment.
Source: otecfmghana.com/ Nana Asare Barimah
