Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has alleged that influential figures in Accra are pooling funds to purchase guns and supply them to people in Bawku amidst the ongoing violence.

"There are big men in Accra. Put funds together, buy guns and send them there, and some of the guys here are armed," he said on Newsfile on November 2.

In response, Newsfile host Samson Lardy Anyenini remarked, "We have said over and again, almost every home in Bawku has a stash of guns. How to retrieve them is the problem."

For years, Bawku in the Upper East Region, has been marred by ethnic tensions stemming from chieftaincy disputes. The violence recently escalated with the return of Alhaji Seidu Abagre, a rival chief who had been exiled in February 2023 due to his controversial installation as chief in Nalerigu.

On October 17, 2024, a High Court in Kumasi annulled the warrant for Abagre's arrest, allowing him to return on October 26. His reappearance sparked renewed conflict, resulting in gunfire that left two dead and several others injured. Currently, tensions remain high, with a 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew enforced by security forces to help restore order. It is estimated that approximately 21 people have lost their lives in the ongoing unrest.