A five-month-old baby girl has become the latest victim of the protracted conflict in Bawku after armed assailants brutally seized her from her mother and threw her to the ground, leading to her tragic death.
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The grieving mother, who had gone out to trade, was reportedly ambushed by the attackers, mercilessly assaulted, and had her infant snatched from her before the horrifying act was carried out.
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This heartrending incident adds to the growing toll of violence in Bawku and along the Bolgatanga-Tamale highway, where renewed clashes have claimed 55 lives since October 2024.
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Despite heightened security interventions aimed at restoring peace and protecting civilians, armed groups continue to perpetrate deadly attacks, leaving residents and travelers in constant fear.
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The violence in the region has intensified in recent days. On February 12, a gunfight in Bawku claimed three lives, while a similar attack near Wulugu on the Bolgatanga-Tamale highway on February 11 left three passengers dead, with their bus set ablaze.
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The Bawku chieftaincy dispute remains one of Ghana’s most protracted and contentious conflicts, deeply rooted in historical, ethnic, and political factors. At the heart of the issue is the struggle for chieftaincy legitimacy between the Mamprusi and Kusasi ethnic groups in the Bawku Traditional Area. While the Mamprusi assert historical rights to the Bawku skin, the Kusasi claim it based on demographic majority and political support gained in recent decades.
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Amid growing tensions, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged rival factions to prioritize peace for the area’s development. He cautioned that prolonged violence would lead to poverty, stagnation in infrastructure, and worsening living conditions. He called on all parties to reflect on their actions and seek peaceful solutions for the sake of future generations.
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Meanwhile, Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah has assured the public that the government remains committed to resolving the Bawku conflict through traditional mechanisms as part of a broader effort to restore lasting peace.
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