The Northern Regional Police command has increased the presence of security personnel in Bimbila Township and its environs.
Fighting broke out on Thursday March 7, 2014 between the two feuding factions in the area over the burial of Nakpaa-Naa Salifu Dawuni.
There were reports of sporadic gunshots in Bimbila Township during which one person died while several others got injured.
Reports said the victims were responding to treatment at the Bimbila government hospital.
This led to the imposition of dusk till dawn curfew on the Bimbila Township.
Deputy Northern Regional Police Commander, ACP Kojo Appiah Agyei told Citi News adequate security personnel have been deployed to the area.
He said calm had returned to the area and that the regional coordinating council had met to re-strategize on the worrying development.
ACP Kojo Appiah disclosed that 15 suspects were arrested during the clashes.
Meanwhile, the two feuding factions have taken entrenched positions on the matter and were not ready to compromise their stance.
Spokesperson for the Naa-Andani family in Bimbila, Osman Tahidu Kikaa vehemently opposed the request by the other side of the chieftaincy divide in Bimbila to bury the late Nakpaa-Naa Salifu Dawuni as Bimbila Naa.
“We will not allow the dead body to be buried within the premises of the palace, he can be buried in any part of Bimbila we don’t care; we want to tell the security to be aware that they can provide security in town and if they don’t take care and do the wrong thing they cannot provide security in every part of Bimbila.”
He added, “The best thing is for us to come together and decide, is the man Bimbila Naa? No, if he is not Bimbila Naa why in Bimbila Naa’s palace?”
On the other hand, Spokesperson for the Nakpaa-Naa family, Hamdawey Nakpaa-Naa vowed that they were going ahead with the burial at the earmarked place.
He said the family was waiting for the release of the body which was deposited in the Yendi hospital morgue.
“We are still waiting for the corpse to be brought to Bimbila; he died in Tamale and so when we were coming we decided that the body should be kept in Yendi so that when we are prepared we will call for it for burial.”
Hamdawey Nakpaa-Naa said no amount of persuasion will convince the family to rescind their decision of burying the late Nakpaa-Naa Salifu Dawuni at the earmarked burial place.
“We will bury him in Bimbila where we planned to bury him; we have finished digging the grave and we will bury him when the body is released to us.”
In a related development, a freelance journalist in Bimbila, Mohammed Amin reported that calm had returned to the area on Friday March 7, 2014.
He said the District Security Council had met to review security arrangements in the area.
Mohammed Amin reported that one of the three victims on admission at the Bimbila government hospital was in critical condition.
By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana