Horror near Salaga; 2 Killed by unknown assailants

Two persons were shot dead, while 16 others sustained gunshot wounds, when unknown gunmen opened fire on a group of people watching the UEFA Champions League final match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at a palace at Kafaba, near Salaga in the Gonja East District in the Northern Region, on Saturday night. 

The name of one of the deceased  has been given as Abubakari Salam, a three-and-a-half-year-old-boy, while the identity of the other is yet to be established.

However, at the time of going to press, unconfimed reports iindicated that the death toll had risen to eight.

Some of the injured are now on admission at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) in critical condition, while others are receiving treatment at the Salaga Government Hospital.

The injured persons are made up of six children and 10 adults, the adults comprise eight females and two males.

According to an eyewitness account, the incident occurred around 9 p.m. last Saturday.

As of the time of filing this report , tension was still high in the community, while a combined team of police and military personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order in the area.

Chieftaincy dispute
According to pieces of information gathered by the Daily Graphic, the shooting was as a result of a long-standing chieftaincy dispute between the people of Kafaba and Kalanpor.

Some residents of Kafaba told the Daily Graphic that last week an attempt was made by one of the factions in the chieftaincy dispute to enskin a chief for Kafaba, but the police intervened to restore order.

The sources said the two factions in the chieftaincy dispute, at a meeting with the police in Salaga last week, pledged to maintain the peace in the area, saying it was unfortunate that some unidentified gunmen decided to engage in the sporadic shooting which claimed one life.

Confirmation
The Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Ebenezer Tetteh, when contacted, confirmed the shooting incident and said no arrest had been made so far.

He said about a week ago, the police in Salaga received a letter requesting them to provide security during a planned ceremony to inaugurate a chief for the area.

ASP  Tetteh stated that after the meeting with the said chief, who claimed to have been enskinned, the police advised him not to go ahead with the inaugural ceremony.

However, on the blind side of the police, the people went ahead with the ceremony, which infuriated the other faction, and it was believed a section of the aggrieved decided to open fire on the people who were watching the match, leading to the boy's death.

When contacted, the Gonja East District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Mohammed Aminu Lukuman, said calm had returned to the area following the deployment of security personnel to the community.

'As of this morning (Sunday), there was some sporadic shooting in the community but calm has been restored,' he stated.