Scores injured as soldiers and prisons officers clash in Bawku

Information reaching Awakenewsroom has it that several personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces and Ghana Prisons Service have been injured in a near-deadly clash involving the two sister security agencies.

The exact number of those injured is not known as at the time of writing this report. But eyewitnesses say personnel on both sides sustained various degrees of injuries. Reports say personnel of the Prisons service recorded the highest injuries.

The unfortunate incident happened in the afternoon of Wednesday, April 24, at the Bawku Naba Palace when the traditional ruler was inaugurating the anniversary of his 40 years reign as Bawku Naba.

The Upper East regional correspondent for Accra-based TV3, Senyalah Castro Cazo, citing sources, reported that the incident followed a misunderstanding between two soldiers and a prisons officer over a missing mobile phone, and the prisons officer was allegedly assaulted as a result.

The report added that personnel of the Prisons Service became infuriated after learning of the attack on their colleague. Since the Bawku central prisons is not far from the Bawku Naba’s palace, the Prisons personnel immediately gathered and assaulted soldiers in the palace in a reprisal attack.

“…from what I’ve gotten from sources within the Police is that the fighting began when two military officers reportedly escorted a Prisons Officer who they have earlier had a misunderstanding with over a missing phone. So when they saw him, they approached him to sort of question him about the missing phone,” Senyalah Castro reported.

He continued that the situation “degenerated into a scuffle, resorting in the beating of the prisons officer, and I understand that the military officers mercilessly beat up the prisons officer which brought about a lot of tension at that moment at the palace.

“The Prisons Service which is just a few meters away from the Bawku Naba Palace got wind of the attack on their colleague and also put themselves together, massed up at the palace and retaliated. A lot of the military officers who are usually stationed at the Bawku Naba Palace were mercilessly also beaten up by the Prisons officers who fired warning shots.”

Meanwhile, investigation into the incident is underway by the relevant authorities.

The injured personnel are also said to be receiving treatments at health facilities in Bawku.