Private legal practitioner, Samson Lardy Anyenini, has highlighted the widespread presence of firearms in Bawku, a town plagued by years of ethnic tension and chieftaincy disputes. “We have said over and again, almost every home in Bawku has a stash of guns. How to retrieve them is the problem,” the host of JoyNews' Newsfile, said on November 2.

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His comments came as Kofi Bentil, Vice President of IMANI Africa, alleged that influential figures in Accra are funding and supplying arms to the area. “There are big men in Accra. Put funds together, buy guns and send them there, and some of the guys here are armed,” Bentil stated.The recent surge in violence follows the return of Alhaji Seidu Abagre, a rival chief who was exiled in February 2023 due to a disputed installation.

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On October 17, 2024, a High Court ruling in Kumasi annulled the warrant for Abagre's arrest, allowing him to return on October 26. His return reignited conflict, leading to gunfire that left two dead and several others injured.With tensions still high, a curfew from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. has been imposed to maintain order, as the death toll from the unrest now stands at approximately 21.

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