Thirteen more people have been killed in the ongoing land dispute at Gbiniyiri in the Savannah Region, bringing the death toll to 31 as of yesterday. The incident, which has now escalated to about 12 communities in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District in the Savannah Region, has also resulted in the displacement of about 48,000 people, mostly women and children, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has said.
About 14,000 victims have crossed into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire. to seek refuge, while thousands of others are being camped in makeshift tents at Sawla under the care of the Ghana Red Cross and NADMO. The incident, which started on Sunday, August 24, was reportedly triggered by a disagreement over a parcel of land.
Security beefed up
The Savannah Regional Minister, Salisu Bi-Awuribe, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the beefing up of security had brought the situation under control. He noted that the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) was actively engaging the Yagbonwura and other traditional leaders, who were the custodians of the land, to find a lasting resolution to the conflict.
Checks by the Daily Graphic suggest the official death toll could be much higher, with some residents claiming more than 200 people could have been killed since the clashes broke out. Aside from that, some of the displaced also drowned while attempting to cross the Black Volta River into Côte d’Ivoire.
Appeal
Some of the displaced persons, who spoke with the Daily Graphic, lamented the dire conditions at the Sawla camp. A victim, Alhassan Osman, said, “We left everything behind when the fighting started. Now we have nothing to feed our children.” He added that they were fed once a day, which was not enough for them. Another victim, Agness Dawuda, appealed to the government, humanitarian agencies, and benevolent organisations to come to their aid.
Writer’s email:mohammed.fugu
@graphic.com.gh
