Former President John Mahama has waded into the conversation regarding the tension between the residents of Bawku and officers of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

The Ghana Armed Forces has been accused of shooting and killing three innocent men in Bawku without any justification.

But the Ghana Armed Forces has rejected the claims made by the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, asserting that the information was false.

In a press release issued on January 20, the GAF provided an account of the incident, stating that at approximately 8:30 pm on Thursday, their officers, engaged in night foot patrols near Hasania School at Sabongari, were targeted by gunfire from four assailants.

According to the GAF statement, the officers responded by returning fire, resulting in the death of three of the gunmen, while the fourth individual managed to escape the scene.

“Troops retrieved one AK-47 rifle loaded with 16 rounds of 7.62 x 39 mm ammunition. Ghana Police team arrived at the location subsequently to convey the deceased assailants to the morgue.

“The AK-47 rifle with serial number 81-1/13024074 inspected by Bawku Divisional Police personnel is currently in their own custody,” parts of the statement read.

The GAF clarified that the incident occurred in the context of heightened tensions in Bawku, where four individuals had lost their lives the previous week.

This situation led to an escalation in security measures, including increased patrols. According to the GAF's statement, on the day of the incident, their officers conducting patrols were fired upon by unidentified gunmen.

Following the clarification by the GAF, former President Mahama, nonetheless, in a Facebook post, urged "the military personnel to remember their duty to protect the people and uphold the peace."

He acknowledged that the security services face the difficult task of securing peace in the Bawku area, however, stressed that "the military must work hand in hand with the police to provide safety and security in the Bawku municipality and across the nation."

According to Mr Mahama, he is deeply saddened and disturbed by recent developments in the Bawku municipality and the killing of three men.

He has therefore commiserated with the bereaved families and entreated all parties to play their part in ensuring that peace is restored in the locality.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims during this difficult time, even as I call upon the people of Bawku to endeavour to promote and consolidate peace to enable the positive development of the municipality of Bawku. Let us all work together to ensure justice is served and peace is restored in Bawku," he added.