Eight persons are feared dead, while a couple of others sustained gunshot wounds, during clashes between Konkombas and Bimobas at Kpamale, a village near Nankpanduri in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District in the Northern Region Of Ghana.
The disturbances twere caused by misunderstanding between some Konkombas and Bimobas over a piece of land meant for the construction of a school.
Both the Konkombas and the Bimobas claim ownership of the land.
The misunderstanding degenerated into violence, which was characterised by sporadic shootings and the burning down of houses. At the time of filing this report, about 30 houses had been razed down, while other property, including personal effects, had been destroyed.
No arrests have been made so far.
The Northern Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr George Tuffour, said that a combined team of military men and policemen was patrolling the area to bring the situation under control.
The deceased are yet to be identified, while four of the injured persons, who are currently receiving treatment at the Matthew Medical Centre at Nalerigu, have been identified as Peter Labic, Jubika Mintek, Peter Konnah and Kinasu Biisu.
DCOP Tuffour said the factions in the dispute later on started operating from the nearby bushes when they realised that there was heavy military and police presence in the area.
He said the combatants allegedly hid themselves in the bush, and when there were no security personnel on sight, they attacked one another and burnt houses.
The Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr San Nasamu Asabigi, and the Inspector-General of Police(IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, who was on his maiden visit to Tamale, condemned the violence and expressed commitment to resolve the dispute for lasting peace to return to the area.
The land dispute between Konkombas and Bimobas has existed for decades, with the situation resulting in death and destruction of property.
For instance, in 1984, a chieftaincy and land dispute between Konkombas and Bimobas resulted in 60 deaths.
In 1985 and 1986, a similar chieftaincy and land dispute between the two ethnic groups claimed 78 lives.
For the same reasons, 26 people died in a conflict between the groups in 1986 and 1987. In 1989, 20 lives were claimed in a similar conflict.
In 2007, another conflict occurred in a community called Jimbali that claimed three lives, with a number of houses burnt down in the process.**
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