ACCRA, Oct 6 (The African Portal) – Eight police officers were injured on Sunday when violence broke out during a chieftaincy dispute in the town of Sampa in Ghana’s Bono Region, the police said on Monday.
The officers were deployed to restore order after clashes erupted between two rival groups, the Sammordua and Sambga Gyafla factions. The confrontation involved gunfire and led to injuries and the destruction of several shops, according to the Bono Regional Police Command.
Police said seven of the injured officers were treated and discharged from the Sampa Government Hospital, while one officer with a head injury was transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, where he is receiving treatment.
The police refuted earlier reports that the officer had died.
Chief Inspector Thomas Akeelah, spokesperson for the Bono Regional Police Command, said officers came under fire while responding to a distress call and escorting fire service and ambulance teams to the scene. One police vehicle reportedly veered into a ditch amid the crossfire.
“Calm has since been restored in Sampa, and patrols have been intensified,” Akeelah said, adding that investigations are underway to identify and arrest those responsible for the disturbances.
Chieftaincy disputes, often linked to succession or territorial control, occasionally spark violence in parts of Ghana, despite being prohibited under the country’s laws.
