The Mamprugu Youth Association in Bawku have condemned the shooting and killing of a member of the immigration service while injuring two others by Kusasi bandits and called on authorities to act swiftly.
The barbaric incident as described by the Mamprugu youth occurred on Monday 3rd April 2023.
According to the association, members of the immigration service were in a private car heading to the Bawku township when their vehicle was ambushed by the Kusasi bandits close to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) office at the Kusasi enclave called Gingande.
Bawku has been described as a conflict zone for some time now and the attack on the immigration officers is believed to be related to the protracted ethnic conflict in the area.
In a statement by the Mamprugu youth association, the recent attack is an implementation of a carefully hatched plot by the Kusasis over the past weeks to attack any vehicle heading to the Bawku township.
The statement indicated that these attacks by the Kusasis is also a plot to prevent the Bawku Naaba Naa Alhaji Seidu Abagre Sheriga from entering Bawku.
The group has however condemned the attacks and call on the Interior Minister to do the same and further put out measures to instantly curb the banditry on the Bolga – Bawku road.
“We believe that the killing of the immigration officer could have been avoided if Government and the Interior ministries had taken seriously the threats issued by the Kusasi bandits to attack any vehicle entering the Bawku township”, the statement said.
The statement continued that “Instead, they felt it was only a threat targeting the Mamprusis and so did absolutely nothing about it, the result of which a member of the immigration service has been killed”.
The Mamprugu Youth Association is therefore calling on Government to quickly tackle the lawlessness and banditry perpetrated by these Kusasi bandits on the Bolga – Bawku road.
The security agencies should with immediate effect start escort services for users of the road to protect innocent lives and show that they are indeed in charge of the road and not Kusasi bandits.
The deceased officer has been identified as Philip Motey while the injured are Eric Ayibiya, 30, and Laurence Afri, 42.
