The Northern regional minister Salifu Saeed has called for peace in Bole after tensions escalated between supporters of two rival chiefs over the Bole Skin.
The confusion is said to be linked to disagreements over the rightful heir to the Bole skin after the death of the paramount chief Bolewura Awuladese Pontomprong Mahama (II).
Speaking in Bole, the regional minister Salifu Saeed strongly condemned the growing tensions and in a show of force, said regional Security Council was monitoring the situation and will roundly deal with individuals found fueling the tensions.
He also announced that armed military and police have been deployed in Bole as a stepped up security measure to avert potential clashes that could spread to other parts of the region.
“We want peace, the family needs peace, the Gonja traditional area, they need peace, people of Bole traditional area need peace, therefore, let us, after he has turned back to his maker ensure a successful succession, and, regional security council will not sit down and allow an individual or group of individuals to take the peace of this area to ransom. We will not want anybody to do anything to cause mayhem in this area,” the minister said.
He added: “We are monitoring and tracking the activities of people around this area.”
Reports of violent lock-down and rising squabbles among supporters of Mandariwura Abdalai Issahaku Kant and rival Abubakari Abutu, the two parallel chiefs in Mandari, emerged over who is best fit to succeed the Bole paramount chief who died after prolonged illness at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
A kingmaker at the Damongo traditional area, Alhaji Abass Dangba earlier confirmed the tensions and said the Yagbonwura must be blamed if the situation becomes bloody. He told Starr News Bole was sitting on time bomb and appealed to authorities to douse the uncertainty.
Security forces have been deployed to the area to foil any violence.