Sampa chieftaincy clash leaves one dead police officer injured

The long-standing chieftaincy conflict at Sampa in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region turned violent on Wednesday, when opposing factions engaged in a gun battle. 

The clash left one person dead and a police officer with serious gunshot injuries.

At the time of filing this report, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that the Bono Regional Security Council (REGSEC) had dispatched joint military and police forces to restore calm, while many residents remained indoors out of fear.

“Sampa is presently on fire,” Mr George Adane, the Jaman North District Chief Executive, confirmed in a telephone interview with the GNA, indicating that the wounded police officer had been admitted and was responding to treatment at the Sampa Government Hospital.

According to him, three homes and the Sampa Market were set ablaze during the disturbance. He added that the remains of the deceased young man had been taken to the government hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.

Mr Adane explained that the violence broke out around 1:00 p.m. Initial findings revealed that supporters of Nana Yaw Sammor-Duah II had received information that Nana Samgba Gyafla was in the process of being gazetted.

He said the group then mobilized and stormed the streets of Sampa to protest, which triggered a gunfire exchange between the followers of the rival factions.