Irate youth attack worshippers at prayer camp

An irate youth besieged the Edumfa Prayer Camp at Abura Asebu Kwaman in the Central Region and attacked the worshippers following the arrest of one of their colleagues by the camp's security personnel for an alleged stealing. The attack necessitated calling in the police whose use of tear-gas and fire-arm on the youth, resulted in the injury of many of them.

Sources close to the police told the Ghanaian Times that three days prior to the incidents, the Abura Dunkwa police had information that the youth were planning to attack the prayer camp. The police therefore met the assemblyman and elders of the town and asked them to beat gong-gong to invite the youth for a discussion of their grievances.

But the youth ignored the invitation and went ahead to attack members of the camp. According to the Regional Police Commander, the angry youth besieged the prayer camp at about 10 pm, barricaded the entrance and assaulted both the members and the police team.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Abura Edumfa, Nana Edumadze Kobina VIII, and the unit committee members of the area, have condemned the treatment meted out to the people by some police personnel from Abura Dunkwa about a fortnight ago.

They alleged that at about 10 pm on 20 May, a team of armed police personnel led by the District Superintendent of Police, Mr Twumasi Ankrah, invaded part of the town, firing warning shots and tear-gas thus creating panic in the town. Many of the residents suffered injuries in their eyes as a result of tear-gas. Nana Kobina, in an interview with the 'Times', called for thorough investigations into the incident.

He said that on Tuesday, 21 May, some empty shells, cartridges and canisters were found scattered in parts of the streets. According to the chief, they had lodged a complaint with the District Chief Executive and the Regional Police Commander and, therefore, called on the authorities concerned to investigate the incident.

Nana Kobina said that there was no chieftaincy dispute in the area but said that a misunderstanding between two families in the area might be the possible cause of police presence in the town.