- Gunmen attack Tolon Chief's residence, injuring one
- Attack follows Chief's declaration of support for Bawumia
- NDC condemns attack, Chief's stance
A group of unidentified gunmen attacked the residence of the Tolon Chief in the Northern Region of Ghana on Wednesday evening, leaving one person injured. The Chief, Naa Mohammed Abdulai, had recently declared his support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at a rally, sparking tension in the community.
The attack occurred at the Chief’s residence in Gburmani at Gurugu in Tamale. According to JoyNews, the victim, Mashud, was treated and discharged after the attack. Mashud recounted that the armed men, numbering around eight, were aware of the Chief’s attendance at a Dagbon Traditional Council meeting in Yendi and had intended to attack him.
“One of them hit my head with a cutlass. They already knew the Chief was going to Yendi for a meeting. They thought the Chief had returned to pass the night here,” Mashud claimed.
The incident follows the Chief’s contentious statement, in which he invoked curses on National Democratic Congress (NDC) voters and accused past NDC administrations of neglecting the community. The NDC has widely condemned the Chief’s statements and cautioned him to remain impartial in partisan politics.
The NDC held a meeting to discuss the Chief’s statements and resolved to petition the Ya Naa and the Dagbon Traditional Council to caution the Gburma Dana. The party strongly advised the Chief to refrain from partisan politics or face treatment as a political rival.
The NDC condemned the raid on the Chief’s residence and distanced itself from the attack. Ku’ga Naa Abdulai, a senior member of the Dagbon Traditional Council, also denounced the Chief’s statements and urged traditional leaders to avoid partisan politics.
“We should welcome and treat all parties fairly and impartially and create a level playing field for their activities in our respective jurisdictions,” Ku’ga Naa Abdulai said.
The attack on the Tolon Chief’s residence highlights the escalating tensions in the region ahead of the elections.
