Village razed down in communal clash

The entire Jimbali village, in the Bunkprugu-Yunyoo District of the Northern Region, was yesterday razed to the ground in the second day of renewed fighting between Mamprusis and Bimobas over a parcel of farm land.

Jimbali is 15 kilometres from Togo.

Reports reaching the Ghanaian Times indicate that eight people have lost their lives while a number of people have sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds.

Yussif Ibrahim, District Coordinating Director has described Jimbali as "a ghost village".

Speaking to the Times yesterday, he said, as police/military re-enforcement arrived in Bunkprugu town, there was news that some youth had gone to Jimbali and burnt it completely.

Mr Ibrahim said no arrests have been made, but police patrol has been intensified.

As is the case in such conflicts, the women and children of the village have fled to seek refuge either in Togo or Nalerigu in the East Mamprusi District.

The fighting which broke out at Yunyoo on Sunday is now escalating to many surrounding communities, characterised by sporadic shooting and burning of houses, according to a police source at Bunkprugu who spoke to the Times in the afternoon.

A resident of Bunkprugu, who gave his name as Dubik, also said traders returning from the market at Gambaga were attacked by the youth at Bunkprugu on Tuesday.

He said but for the timely arrival of the military, the traders would have been killed.

Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Police Commander, Ephraim Barakatu, said another re-enforcement of security personnel has been sent to the conflict area to maintain law and order.