Personnel of the Ghana Police Service have been deployed to Yong Dakpemyili and Bagliga, two conflict prone communities in the Tamale metropolis ahead of tonight’s Bugum (Fire) festival celebrated in the north.
The Northern Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Bernand Baba Ananga confirmed to THE CUSTODIAN that patrol teams have been deployed to the grounds ahead of the annual festival Wednesday night (18 August, 2021).
He noted the duty of the police service is to maintain law and order in the area and in that regard police patrol teams have been deployed to the two communities to monitor situations on the ground.
There are chieftaincy deadlocks in the two villages for some time now resulting in the burning of houses and properties worth hundreds of Ghana cedis.
As a result, Supt Ananga indicated the police command is keeping an eye on areas identified as hotspots prior to the event, stating that, “Plain cloths as well as uniform personnel would be in the midst of the celebrants to ensure that breeches of law and peace are not occasioned during the event”.
“ …All that we need is a peaceful event. If you celebrate and celebrate it peacefully we have no problem with that. We don’t have problem with somebody who wants to come out and enjoy or show some sort of celebration, but where we think it would occasion the breach of peace and likely to bring about fighting, burning of houses, shooting and miming people – that one we would not allow that” he explained.
Weapons ban
Meanwhile, the Divisional Chief of Choggu, Naa Mahamadu II has placed a ban on the wielding of sophisticated firearms during the festival and any other cultural gathering within the Choggu traditional area in the Sagnarigu municipality of the northern region.
He warned that anyone found using offensive weapons such as G3, AK47 assault rifles among others would be dealt with accordingly with the laws of Ghana.
“No person or group of persons should dare use any sophisticated weapon aside the locally manufactured gun and gun-powder and nothing else” the statement emphasized.
The Tamale Dakpema, Naa Fuseini Bawa, in a separate statement also issued a stern warning to the public against the use of objects that would endanger the lives of others before, during and after the festivity.
In recent years, several people have sustained gunshot wounds during the Bugum festival due to the use of unregistered firearms mostly handled by young adults.
Consequent to that, the Dakpema urged the security to apprehend recalcitrant individuals who would flout the instructions and cause mayhem against the public order law.
Supt Bernand Baba Ananga noted the police service will work hand in hand with the Chiefs to ensure an incident free celebration and lauded the traditional rulers for their interventions.
