The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Bawku, Amadu Hamza Zanga, has stated that the three young men who were shot by soldiers were involved in a gunfight with the military.
He mentioned that on the day of the incident, he heard gunshots near his home and inquired from the military commander in the area.
According to the MCE, he was informed that the deceased men had attacked the officers, prompting the military to retaliate.
The specific cause of the gunfight was not disclosed, but the MCE mentioned that gunshots had been heard in Bawku in the days leading up to the incident.
“The Commander of the military on the ground told me they had an exchange with some boys…. I asked, ‘What boys? Where are they coming from?’ But being a stranger, it was difficult to tell me exactly where they were coming from. I asked what happened, and they told me they [the boys] actually fired at them, and they [the soldiers] also fired back.”
“Because of that, they were able to neutralize them. So, it led to the death of three persons, and they called the police to come for them. This is exactly what the military commander told me. I went back to the police commander, and he told me the same story,” the MCE told Samson Lardy Anyenini, host of the show.
Although the specific cause of the fight was not revealed, Mr. Zanga believes that a series of incidents leading to the death of individuals in Bawku may have contributed to the incident. He mentioned that a week before the shooting incident, one man was killed, followed by the killing of a Mamprusi man, and three days later, six people were shot not far from a police station.
“This led to the instant death of one Mossi man, and then the following morning, a 17-year-old died through that incident. Now, four of the victims are currently hospitalised,” Mr. Zanga said.
“Then we heard of another incident in Bolgatanga, of which somehow others related it to the Bawku case. So, because of that, gunshots started in the whole Bawku,” he added.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Bawku, Amadu Hamza Zanga, mentioned that there have been cases in Bawku where people have fired gunshots without any apparent reason. T
This information comes in the context of three additional reported deaths in Bawku, with Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, stating that the individuals were shot by soldiers.
The MCE had earlier indicated that the deceased young men were involved in a gunfight with the military, but Mr. Ayariga refuted this claim, asserting that the men were innocent according to eyewitness testimony.
“Eyewitnesses saw everything that happened. These boys were not exchanging fire with anybody; they were actually apprehended. They were sitting [when the soldiers approached]; one ran away, but the others were sitting because they had done nothing wrong.”
“They picked them up; the assemblyman came out and pleaded for them to release the boys. They refused, and ultimately they shot the boys,” he said.
Mr Ayariga noted that the military would not openly admit to their alleged crime if it incriminated them.
“When soldiers do that, do you expect to come and tell us we just beat them because they annoyed us and we started shooting them? Naturally, the security persons who have committed the acts will cover their tracks.”
