Police in Tamale on Friday fired gun shots in an attempt to quell chaos between some squatters – believed to be supporters of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and alleged supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Moshie Zongo, during an eviction operation following a court ruling to that effect.

The alleged NDC squatters who have raised shacks on a disputed piece of land resisted the eviction operation which was being undertaken by armed police officers after the Tamale Circuit court ruled in favour of a resident in the area to bring the decade-old legal tussle over the property to an end.

However, several attempts by the police to enforce the eviction order amounted to nothing, forcing them to storm the area on Friday, 4 August with heavy-duty vehicles to flatten all illegal structures on the property.

The NDC supporters accused the police of invading the area with members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to carry out the demolition.

Taunts and rivalry between the two sides degenerated into mayhem.

Failed attempts by the police to quell the ensuing chaos compelled the armed officers to fire several warning shots into the air.

It is not clear if anyone was injured or shot in the mêlée.