One dead, military officer hit by bullet in Kpatinga violence

One person has been shot dead at Kpatinga in the Gushegu Municipality of the Northern Region where chieftaincy violence has injured at least five people and left about 20 houses burnt since last Friday.

The deceased, identified as Alhassan Abass, a 55-year-old traditional healer, was caught up in crossfire between security officers deployed in the area to maintain peace, and some civilians Sunday morning.

This was after a military officer was said to have been shot by an unknown person from one of the feuding factions.

“A BNI vehicle was used to convey his remains,” an eyewitness told 3news.com.

One other person who was also shot in Sunday morning’s incident is receiving treatment at the Gushegu Municipal Hospital. A bullet is said to be stuck in his stomach area.

Meanwhile, two persons have been arrested in the chieftaincy clash.

Police in the area have remained tight-lipped on the identities of the two who were arrested last Friday

They have, however, confirmed Sunday’s incident, describing it as reprisal.

“We can confirm reprisals between 6amGMT and 8 am GMT Sunday, January 26, 2020. The reprisals have led to the burning of at least ten more houses bringing the number of torched houses to at least twenty in almost 48 hours” a police source told 3news.com.

At least four persons were left in critical condition after sustaining gunshot wounds in the renewed chieftaincy clash last Friday. About 10 houses have also been reportedly torched.

Supporters of two rival chiefs started shooting each other claiming legitimacy to the Kpatinga skin.

Both chiefs are holding themselves as rightful chiefs to the skin.

Information gathered by 3news.com indicated the confusion started when relatives of a deceased sub-chief visited the palace of one of the chiefs as part of the funeral processes.

Per their custom, relatives of a deceased sub-chief needed to go to the palace of the chief of the area for some rituals.

But reports said the visit by the family to the palace of one of the chiefs triggered supporters of the other chief rise against the move, creating a violent scene leading to the shooting of some persons.

“The relatives of the deceased Chief went to the palace of Chief Alhassan Natogma who was enskinned by the Mion-Lana when he was Boli-Lana as regent of Kpatinga to represent the Abudu Royal Gate as part of the funeral processes but supporters of his contender Chief Fuseini Ziblim also enskinned by the then Kampakuya-Na now Yo-Na to represent the Andani Royal Gate took offence,” an eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity told 3news.com

Some women and children have fled the Kpatinga community to Gushegu Health Centre where they are seeking refuge.

They were said to have fled the community Friday at about p.m. Although some returned on Saturday, more were forced to leave again Sunday morning on the back of the latest reprisal.