The Ghana Police Service has issued a ban on the movement of its personnel in the conflict-prone towns of Binduri, Bawku, Pusiga, and Garu. The directive follows what authorities are calling a “dangerous development” — a surge in targeted attacks against police officers and their families by unknown assailants.
The internal police communication, signed by ACP J. W. Darison, warned of heightened threats in and around Bawku. “The Police Service directs a ban on personnel travelling to Bawku with immediate effect,” the memo read. “Movement of personnel both indigenes and non-indigenes, including their families in Pusiga and Binduri, is banned.”
Officers deployed to operations in these volatile areas are now required to don full personal protective gear and be escorted under armor. The message closed with an urgent tone: “Accept for strict compliance. Treat urgently. By this directive, Garu can also be dangerous, so all should take note and comply.”
The clampdown on police movement follows a brutal incident in Binduri, where a man was gunned down near Atuba — a suburb of Binduri Central — and his body, along with his motorcycle, was torched by his attackers. While details remain scarce, security sources suggest the killing could be linked to the long-simmering and recently reignited Bawku chieftaincy conflict.
Tensions in the area remain high, despite a recent visit by Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno to the palace of the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II. During the meeting, Yohuno called for stronger cooperation between traditional leadership and security agencies, promising neutrality and professionalism from his officers. His visit came in the wake of a petition from the Kusaug Youth, who accused some police personnel of partiality and misconduct.
Meanwhile, the Mamprugu Youth Association (MAYA) in Bawku has condemned the killing in strong terms. In a statement, the group called on the government to scale up security deployments in Binduri and to implement a strict ban on motorbike usage — often linked to hit-and-run attacks in the region.
MAYA has also urged Binduri’s Member of Parliament, Mahmoud Issifu, to intervene decisively in order to quell the rising insecurity and prevent further bloodshed.
As the Bawku crisis deepens, the government faces mounting pressure to restore peace and protect both civilians and the security forces tasked with defending them.
Source:TheDotNews